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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



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TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN 



»Y 



WALTER BION ADKiNS. 



There will be no house-room for crosses in the realms of perfect 
holiness. We shall never know a pang ; never witness a false step ; 
never hear a sigh of shame or mortification ; never see one dark hour, 
and never have a cloud float through its bright, unbroken azure of 
glory. — 7*. Cuyhr. 



n 



Copyright 1886 
By WALTER B. ADKINS. 




CHICAGO : 

GEORGE W. OGILVIE, PUBLISHER, 

216 Lake Street. 



\^% C. \ 



.A3 



TO 

MY ESTEEMED FRIEND, 

J. E. STARBUCK, 

WHOSE NOBLE CHARACTER 

AND 

CHRISTIAN EXAMPLE 

HAVE BEEN TO THE AUTHOR 

WHAT THE LIGHTHOUSE 

IS TO THE 

MARINER AT SEA. 



PREFACE. 



In sending this, my first venture, out upon the 
world, I shall say but few words of preface. 

I send this little volume out on its perilous 
voyage with many fears and misgivings of heart; 
knowing full well that the success of an unknown 
writer is as uncertain as the wind. The purpose 
of the book is to lead the mind of the reader 
to a proper conception of life's mission. 

I have prepared the work, feeling hopeful that 
it would accomplish much good. If, therefore, 
it is the means of leading some wayward soul 
Twelve Steps Toward Heaven^ I will indeed be 
thankful, and feel that I am amply rewarded for 
all my toil. 

" There is always room for a true book on 
any subject, as there is room for more light the 
brightest day, and more rays will not interfere 
with the first. '* 

Sincerely thine, 

The Author, 

New Ross, I^1D., October, 1886. 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE. 

CHAPTER I. 

The Wonderful Structure 9 

CHAPTER II. 
The Sea of Life 31 

CHAPTER III. 
Not Dead, But Sleeping 43 

CHAPTER IV. 

Above the Clouds 51 

CHAPTER V. 
The Wanderer's Dream. , 57 

CHAPTER VI. 
The Sunset of Life ,,. 63 

CHAPTER VII. 

Helon, The Wanderer , , 69 

CHAPTER VIIL 
Fritz, The Little Hunchback , 77 

CHAPTER IX. 
The Old Man's New Song 85 

CHAPTER X. 
The Hermit's Story 93 

CHAPTER XL 
What Is Man ?..,.... , loi 

CHAPTER XXL 

The Soul and Its Value .••••••..•..•. I19 

5 



THE WONDERFUL STRUCTURE 



Build to-day, then, strong and sure* 

With a firm and ample base, 
And ascending and secure 

Shall to-morrow find its place. 

^Longfellow, 



THE WONDERFUL STRUCTURE. 



CHAPTER I. 

In life no greater calling presents itself than of 
building character. There is a great difference of 
opinion among persons as regards how old a child 
must be before its character begins forming. 

I have given the subject a great deal of thought, 
and my observation is that, from the hour of birth 
until the hour of death, character is constantly form- 
ing. During the period of childhood the parents 
are directly responsible for its training. 

In building a structure, the first attention is paid 
to the foundations; if these be defective, the struc- 
ture may be fair, but it cannot be durable. 

'* The Pyramids of Ghizeh have outlasted the 
tempest of centuries; the temples and palaces of 
Babylon and Nineveh have perished. The Pyramids 
of Ghizeh are planted on a rock. The magnificent 
architecture of Babylon and Nineveh, the wonder 
of the world, has disappeared, because, as Rawlinson 
observes, it reposed upon the yielding soil; and 
this, dissolved in the rains, or pressed down by 
immense burdens, gave way, till the pavements 
yawned, and the walls leaned and tottered and 
fell." 

So, in building character; nearly all depends on 
the foundation; parents therefore should be sure 



lO TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

that their children are standing on a firm and solid 
base. 

I once heard a little boy swearing lustily. As I 
listened to the fearful oaths as they fell from his 
childish lips, my very blood ran cold in my veins. 
Terrible as it was to hear the child swear, it was 
nothing, compared to the unconcerned manner of 
the mother and father who were standing by. 

Finally, when I could stand it no longer, I said 
to the mother: " Tell me why you allow your child 
to use such language? " 

" Because," said she, ** he is too small to know 
any better; when he grows older I will teach him 
that it is wrong." *' But my dear woman/' I 
answered, " you are making a great mistake; the 
captain of an ocean steamer, in the face of an on- 
coming storm, might as well say to the sailors: * Do 
not reef the sails yet awhile; when the storm is 
upon us it will be time enough.* 

" You are like the man who went over the 
Niagara Falls; he was in his skiff, floating quietly 
down the stream, coming nearer and nearer to the 
rapids; persons called to him from the shore and 
told him it was time to turn toward the land. He 
shouted back ' Not yet! farther on I will steer my 
boat into the harbor.* But he waited too long, and 
soon he entered the rapids and was carried over 
the falls into eternity. To-day — this very hour — is 
the time to mold the boy aright, and check him in 
his flight to ruin." 

Parents, as you value peace, and if you want 
your child to grow up to manhood or womanhood, 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. II 

a comfort and a joy in your declining years, be 
careful in your training while the child is small 

Young men and women who have reached the 
years of accountability, it is for you to say w^hat 
kind of a character you will build; will you build 
for Heaven and life eternal, or for Hell and ever- 
lasting death? The time of a young man's leaving 
home is the most critical period in his life. A 
young man leaving home! 

There is deep solemnity in the idea. Home is one 
of the most delightful of words, and it is no wonder 
that it should become the subject of poetry and 
song, 

" There is sweet music in the sound, and in every 
heart that is not yet scarred with sin, there is a 
chord that vibrates to the note. Viewed in any 
aspect, it is no trifling or inconsiderable transaction, 
to quit the scenes, the kind friends and guard- 
ians of our childhood; to leave that spot and its 
dear inhabitants, with which are associated all our 
earliest reminiscences; to go from beneath the im- 
mediate inspection of a mother's anxious love, and 
the protection of a father's watchful care, and ex- 
pose ourselves to the perils, privations and sorrows 
that await the traveler on his journey through this 
busy world.'' 

The first year or two after leaving home is the 
most eventful period of all a young man's life; and 
what he is at the end of the second or third year 
after quitting his father's roof, that in all probability 
he will be as a tradesman for this world, and as an 
immortal being in the next. 

The very moment he crosses the threshold of the 



12 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

old home, the moment his dear old mother folds 
him to her bosom, and in a trembling tone, says 
" Farewell, my boy," that moment he goes forth 
into temptations and trials of which he never 
dreamed before. 

Reason suggests that you cannot leave so many 
restraints, so much inspection and guardianship, 
and come into such new scenes at an age w^hen the 
heart is so tender and the character so pliable, with- 
out receiving a bias. New temptations will assail 
you, w^hich, if not at once successfully resisted, will 
acquire a permanent ascendancy. The first thing 
a young man does after leaving home is to look 
about for associates, and in making this choice of 
companions, it is like laying the corner-stone of the 
character he is going to build. In the Rocky 
Mountains, at what is called ''The Western Divide," 
a rugged peak towers to the clouds, and forms itself 
into a great overhanging rock. 

Underneath this huge stone crystal drops of 
water form. It is a very critical time in the little 
drop's history. If the wind blows strongest from 
the Pacific Ocean, the drop of water will fall on 
the east side of the mountain, and eventually find 
its home in the stormy Atlantic. Again, if the 
wind blows strongest from the Atlantic Ocean, the 
tiny drop will fall on the west side of the mountain, 
and finally find its home in the calm and peaceful 
Pacific. 

Just so with you, young men; in making choice 
of companions, you are suspended between two 
mighty forces, — one good and one evil. If you 
choose evil associates, you will soon drift into a 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 1 3 

tempestuous ocean and be dashed to pieces on the 
breakers. On the other hand, if you choose virtu- 
ous associates you will be carried to success, pros- 
perity and finally to a calm and peaceful old age. 

Remember that it is next to impossible, young 
man, for you to remain virtuous in vicious society. 
You cannot long retain your good morals in the 
society of those who are plunged in vice; it is like 
walking into the fire where you are sure to be 
burned. 

When you enter vicious society, carrying good 
morals with you, those about you begin plotting 
against your peace, and seek at once for some plan 
whereby they may plunge you as deep in degrada- 
tion as themselves. They are envious; and envy, 
like the worm, never runs but to the fairest fruit; 
like a cunning bloodhound, it singles out the fat- 
test deer in the flock. 

Prefer the aged, the virtuous, and the intelligent, 
and choose those that excel for your company, but 
despise not others. 

The youthful profligate of elegant manners, 
lively disposition, splendid temper and intelligent 
mind is old Satan^s most polished and powerful 
weapon for ruining precious souls. When you 
give yourself over to such a companion you are in 
the toils of a serpent from which nothing but 
Almighty God can pluck you. 

Make it a point to seek the very best society 
wherever you go. I care not how poor you are; 
I care not how lowly and humble your calling is in 
life, if you are as you should be, — in point of 



14 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

character — you can find a place in the best homes 
of our land. 

Be noble and true, generous and brave, cour- 
teous and kind to all whom you meet, yes " write 
your name in kindness, love and mercy on the 
hearts of the thousands you come in contact with 
year by year; you will never be forgotten. No, 
your name, your deeds, will be as legible on the 
hearts you leave behind as the stars on the brow 
of evening." 

*' Over the outer coat of plum and apricot there 
grows a bloom more beautiful than the fruit itself 
— a soft, delicate powder that overspreads its 
colors. Now, if you strike your hand over that, 
and it is once gone, it is gone forever; it appears 
only once. The flower that hangs in the morning 
impearled with dew, arrayed in jewels, once shake 
it so that the beads fall off, and you may sprinkle 
water on it as you please, yet it can never be made 
again what it was when the dew fell gently on it 
from Heaven. 

On a frosty mornmg you may see panes of glass 
covered with landscapes, mountains, lakes, rivers 
and trees, blended into a beautiful, fantastic pict- 
ure. Now lay your hand upon the glass and by 
the scratch of your finger or by the warmth of 
your hand all the delicate tracery will be obliterated." 

So there is in youth a beauty and purity of char- 
acter, which, when once touched and defiled, can 
never be restored — a fringe more delicate than 
frost-work, which, when torn and broken, will never 
be repaired. When a young lad or girl leaves the 
parents' house with the blessing of a mother's tears 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 1$ 

Still wet upon the cheek, if early purity of character 
be once lost, it is a loss that can never be made 
again. ^^ * * In building character many per- 
sons make a fatal mistake by casting off the larger 
sins and allowing the minor imperfections to remain. 
Ah, we should watch and resist the encroachment 
of little faults for in time they may grow very pow- 
erful and overthrow fair structures which we thought 
were secure. 

" A friend called on Michael Angelo, who was 
finishing a statue. Some time afterward he called 
again; the sculptor was still at his work. His 
friend, looking at the figure, exclaimed: ^ Have you 
been idle since I saw you last?' * By no means,' 
replied the sculptor, *I have retouched this part 
and polished that; I have softened this feature and 
brought out this muscle; I have given more expres- 
sion to this lip and more energy to this limb.' 
'Well, well,' said his friend, 'all these are trifles.* 
' It may be so,' replied Angelo, ' but recollect that 
trifles make perfection, and that perfection is no 
trifle.'" 

It is more common to neglect the smaller imper- 
fections than the larger; they are so small and in- 
significant in our sight, that we deem it unnecessary 
to guard our character against them. The lesson 
we derive from the story of Baldur the Good is one 
by which we can all profit. 

" Baldur the Good having been tormented with 
terrible dreams indicating that his life was in peril, 
told them to the assembled gods, who resolved to 
conjure all things to avert from him the threatened 
danger. Then Frigga, the wife of Odin, exacted 



1 6 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

an oath from fire and water, from iron and all other 
metals, from stones, trees, diseases, beasts, birds, 
poisons and creeping things that none of them 
would do any harm to Baldur. 

Odin, not satisfied with all this, and feeling 
alarmed for the fate of his son, determined to con- 
sult the prophetess Angerbode, a giantess, mother 
of Fenris, Hela and the midgard serpent. 

But the other gods, feehng that what Frigga had 
done was quite sufficient, amused themselves 
with using Baldur as a mask, some hurling darts at 
him, some stones, while others hewed at him with 
their swords and battle-axes, for do what they would 
none of them could harm him. 

And this became a favorite pastime with them, 
and was regarded as an honor to Baldur. 

But when Loki beheld this scene, he was sorely 
vexed that Baldur was not hurt. Assuming, there- 
fore, the shape of a woman, he went to Fensalir, 
the mansion of Frigga. That goddess, when she 
saw the pretended woman, inquired of her if she 
knew what the gods were doing at their meetings. 
She replied that they were throwing darts and 
stones at Baldur, without being able to hurt him. 

" Ay,'' said Frigga, " neither stones nor sticks, nor 
anything else, can hurt Baldur, for I have exacted 
an oath from all of them. '* '* What," exclaimed the 
woman, " have all things sworn to spare Baldur?'* 

*' All things," replied Frigga, " except one little 
shrub that grows on the eastern side of Valhalla, 
and is called Mistletoe, and which I thought too 
young and feeble to crave an oath from." 

As soon as Loki heard this he went away, and 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 1/ 

resuming his natural shape, cut off the mistletoe, 
and repaired to the place where the gods were assem- 
bled. 

There he found Hodur standing apart, without 
partaking of the sports, on account of his blindness, 
and going up to him, said: " Why dost thou not also 
throw something at Baldur?'* 

" Because I am blind," answered Hodur, " and 
see not where Baldur is, and have, moreover, nothing 
to throw." 

" Come, then," said Loki, " do like the rest and 
show honor to Baldur by throwing this twig at him, 
and I will direct thy arm toward the place where 
he stands." 

Hodur then took the mistletoe, and, under the 
guidance of Loki, darted it at Baldur, who, pierced 
through and through, fell down lifeless. 

His mother, deeming this slender parasite of the 
forest so insignificant that it could not injure her 
darhng, had not thought of securing its pledge, but 
though it was weak in itself, when cast with the 
strength of a deity, it became mighty. " And there 
are many who walk safe amidst the greater tempta- 
tions of the world, which drop harmless at their 
feet, and yield before the darts of faults at whose 
feebleness they have smiled." 

Then, let us closely examine the foundations on 
which we are building, and see that no small fault 
lingers there to undermine and cast down the fair 
building we wish to erect. 

In the building, called character, the most impor* 
tant stone to be laid in the foundation, is Truth. 
Without this stone, the building will, in time, crum- 



1 8 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

ble and fall. The omission of truth causes us to put 
worthless stones in the walls of our building, which 

— though they may be fair to look upon — are very 
treacherous, and will cause the structure to be con- 
demned. 

The first stone we put in — if Truth is omitted 

— is Deception, To the builder it presents a beauti- 
ful appearance, and he trusts that he will be able to 
deceive the world; so he places the stone in the 
wall. 

Then follows the stone Pride. For a moment 
the architect scans it closely, but finding no serious 
objection to its qualities as a building stone he puts 
it in the wall. Then comes the stone EGOTISM. 

The builder turns it over and over; looks at this 
side and that; he is very much undecided as to the 
propriety of placing it in the structure. Finally he 
concludes it will do, and therefore places it in the 
wall. 

Next comes the stone LlE. The architect eyes 
this stone with more suspicion than any he has here- 
tofore used. It is darker than the others; its surface 
is rough and uneven. Finally he lays it aside and 
tries to find another stone for the place; but his 
efforts are in vain; he cannot find one that will fit in. 
Then he takes up the stone Lie again, and is sur- 
prised to find that it is the very one for the place. 

And now comes the stone Intemperance. There 
are many things about this stone that the builder 
does not like; but as its exterior presents a very fair 
appearance and fits in the wall so nicely, he uses it. 

Then comes the stone Theft. 

As the builder takes up this stone he trembles 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. I9 

from head to foot. It is far worse than any stone 
he has used. He is very uneasy, and would throw 
the stone away if such a thing were possible. At 
last he consoles himself by saying: *4t is as good as 
some others I have used, so I will put it in." 

Next comes the stone Prison. With his hea^t 
throbbing wildly, and his countenance pale as death, 
the builder views this stone. He determines to cast 
the stone away. For many weeks he ponders over 
the situation; then comes again to the building and 
notes how little it lacks of being finished. Three 
more stones and the building will be completed. 
Sorrowfully, reluctantly, he lifts the stone and places 
it in the wall. 

Then comes the stone GALLOWS. As the weary 
workman puts this stone in its place a shudder runs 
through his body, and he sinks exhausted on the 
wall. For a long time he remains in a trance; then 
suddenly remembering that the building lacks but 
one more stone to make it complete, he rises and 
looks about him in a dazed and bewildered manner. 

The last stone is Death — the finishing stone of 
the wonderful structure. With a mighty effort the 
laborer puts it in place, and then in great agony 
cries out: " Lost! Lost! My building is doomed to 
everlasting destruction.'' 

We have spoken figuratively, and will now apply 
the argument. 

Truth is veracity, purity from falsehood, fidelity, 
constancy. " Plows, to go true, depend much on 
the truth of the iron work.'' And again, in the 
Gospel by John xiv. chapter and sixth verse, we 
find where Jesus Christ is called the Truth. 



20 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

The omission of truth in our character causes us 
to bring into our nature deception. Now, if we only- 
used this element for the purpose of deceiving those 
around us, it would not be so terrible; but while 
we are endeavoring to decoy or waylay those about 
us, we are luring ourselves into a trap from whence 
there is no escape. First, we deceive self into 
believing true that which is false, and false that 
which is true. 

This "mistletoe,'* once planted in the heart, it 
becomes an easy matter to admit pride. Proud of 
ourselves, to think we can dissemble so cleverly. 
Then egotism — one of the most powerful adver- 
saries with which character has to battle — rushes 
in. Dear reader, fight against this evil with all 
your might; close the door of your heart against it. 

Egotism once in the heart, the person will soon 
begin lying; not only to those with whom he asso- 
ciates, but he will lie to himself. Intemperance 
then intrudes itself. This monstrous evil presents 
to the tender youth a beautiful appearance; and 
he determines to test his strength. Something 
within tells him to " touch not, taste not, handle 
not,'' but as he has admitted lying into his heart, 
he lies to himself, and steps into some palace of 
sin. A dazzling sight presents itself. The walls 
hung with beautiful oil paintings; theceihng hand- 
somely decorated; the floor carpeted with Brussels 
of the finest make and pattern; the plate glass 
mirrors reaching from ceiling to floor; the glitter- 
ing, cut-glass decanters, of every known pattern, 
outvying in splendor the colors of the rainbow; all 
tend to convince the poor, misguided youth that 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 21 

intemperance is not as bad as has been represented. 

Days, weeks and months pass away. The err- 
ing one finds that he has deceived himself. His 
wealth is gone, yet he must have rum, and there- 
fore bethinks him of some plan to raise money so 
he can again visit the palace. Palace! No, no, 
not the palace. He has long ago changed his 
place of drinking, and now goes to some under- 
ground den and drinks the soul-destroying stufi 
from the ragged edge of a discarded oyster can. 
As he ponders over the matter, a happy thought 
comes to him: the pawn-shop. 

First he sends his coat, then his shoes, then his 
shirt, piece by piece it goes, till all, yes all, is gone, 
and the man is left with no shred to hide his filth. 

And now the time has come in the poor souFs 
history when it is forced to add a crime from which 
it instinctively shrinks — namely, theft. But no 
matter what conscience may say; no difference 
how much his finer feeling may disapprove of such 
an action; he has gone too far, and he feels that it 
would be harder to go back than to hurry on to 
the end. 

From theft he goes to murder, and then we next 
find him languishing in a prison cell, shut out from 
the glorious sunlight of Heaven. Lastly, we see 
him mounting the scaffold to die an ignominious 
death. Dark, gloomy clouds move slowly through 
the air; no bright gleam of sunshine breaks through 
the heavy masses to cheer the melancholy scene. 
Angels move silently back from the battlements of 
Heaven and mournfully weep. Christ himself 
would fain turn away from the sorrowful sight, but 



22 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

His great, loving heart will not let Him, and in 
silence He looks upon the solemn spectacle. 

The black cap is drawn over the prisoner's face, 
the noose adjusted and the poor, self-deceived soul 
which built for Hell instead of Heaven is launched 
into eternity. 

We cannot build successfully unless we are in 
possession of the imperial virtue, truth. Ah! truth 
is the diamond for which the candid mind ever 
seeks. " It is the sanction of every appeal that is 
made for the good and the right. It may be 
crushed to earth, it may be long in achieving 
victory, but it is omnipotent, and must triumph at 
last." 

You should also hold the truths of Christianity 
firmly, and you should build upon them. Let 
religion take possession of your soul, and you will 
rear a grander character than any which can be 
reared upon the ever-shifting waste of doubt and 
denial. 

** Religion is a personal, experimental and prac- 
tical thing. It is a thing of the heart, and not mere 
outward forms ; a living principle in the soul, 
influencing the mind, employing the affections, 
guiding the will, and directing as well as enlight- 
ening the conscience. It is a supreme y not a subordi- 
nate matter, demanding and obtaining the throne 
of the soul, giving law to the whole character, and 
requiring the whole man and all his conduct to be 
in subordination. 

It is a universal, and not a partial thing; not 
confining itself to certain times and places and 
occasions, but forming an integral part of the 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 2$ 

character and blending with every occupation. It 
is 7iol?/e and lofty, not an abject, servile and grovel- 
ling thing; it communes with God, with truth, with 
holiness, with Heaven, with eternity and infinity. 

It is a happy, and not a melancholy thing, giving 
a peace that passeth understanding and a joy that 
is unspeakable and full of glory. And it is durable^ 
not a transient thing, passing with us through life^ 
lying down with us on the pillow of death, rising 
with us at the last day, and dwelling in our souls 
in Heaven as the very element of eternal life. Such 
is religion, the sublimest thing in our \vorld, sent 
down to be our comforter and ministering angel on 
earth. 

" Our guide to everlasting life 
Through all this gloomy vale. " 

* # # Just here, we desire to say a few things 
to those persons who have built thus far in life a 
sublime character, and now think that nothing can 
hurt it in the least. Ah! my kind reader, at this 
juncture you must zvatch. 

Watch is a short word, but one we ought not 
to lose sight of. It came from the lips of Christy 
and all that comes from His lips we ought to look 
at with love, and think of with care. When men 
set a watch, it is to guard and take care of some 
good thing which they prize much. At the door 
of a king you Avill find a sentinel, whose duty it is to 
watch and keep the king safe from harm. 

Men set a watch, too, by the bed of a sick man to 
see that he has what he wants and what w^ill do him 
good. 



24 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

The shepherd watches his flock of sheep, too, to 
see that no harm comes to them. 

And so it is with our character; it is of great 
price, and we should take great pains to shield it 
from harm. 

Our character is worth more than precious stones. 
It is worth more than the king's throne. This char- 
acter, which we have molded so well and which is 
now assuming form and perfect symmetry, is what 
Christ would have us watch. We must keep close 
to God. On every hand our souls have enemies 
who seek to do them harm. Sheep would not need 
any one to watch them if there were no wolves to 
tear them and no pits for them to fall into. Now 
our souls want a watch more than the poor sheep, 
for there are wolves close at hand who would be but 
too glad to tear the sheep of Christ's flock; and there 
are pits dug for us to fall in, and snares laid for our 
feet and stones put to make us fall. The way to be 
safe from all these is to do what the Lord tells us. 
Watch ! 

A king once employed a renowned sculptor to 
carve for him a statue which was to adorn the front 
of his magnificent palace. The artist worked faith- 
fully at his task, taking no note of the days, weeks 
and months as they were unrolled from the great 
calendar of the universe. As he worked he thought 
to himself: '' I will lay aside my mallet and chisel 
and work no more when I finish this task." 
Coupled with this thought came the desire to make 
this work the crowning event of his life. He 
brought all his powers as an artist to bear on this 
special undertaking, and although he was old in his 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 25 

profession and a master, he studied Angelo with 
the zeal and vigor of former days. 

" Time, like a great ship, whose sails are never 
lowered," hurried on, and the sculptor, with folded 
arms stood before his completed work. As he 
looked at it a smile of satisfaction played among 
the deep wrinkles on his forehead, and his eyes 
sparkled with delight. So perfect was the statue 
that the artist imagined he could see the bosom rise 
and fall, and the lips part as if in the act of speak- 
ing. 

At last the day arrived when the statue was to 
be hoisted to its final resting-place. The king and 
his royal knights were assembled on the public 
square to witness the ceremonies of the occasion, 
while from every side great crowds of people came 
flocking to the scene. When all was in readiness 
the king gave the command to heave away, and 
slowly the huge statue moved aloft. The sculptor, 
with wildly-throbbing heart, watched every move- 
ment with painful interest, and when the statue was 
in its place he drew a sigh of relief, then ascended 
to superintend the sitting of the work, which had 
already made him famous. 

When he had finished his work the artist went 
below, where he was met by the king, who said to 
him: '' Faithful servant, thou hast indeed wrought 
a perfect image, and henceforth thou shalt not 
work." 

So saying, the king handed the artist a purse 
filled with gold. After thanking th^ king for his 
kind favor the sculptor stood with bowed head, and 



26 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

on his face there rested a sad and gloomy expres- 
sion. 

Noticing this, the king said: " My good man, 
why art thou so cast down?" Whereupon the 
sculptor made answer: '' O king, my eagle eye has 
discovered an imperfection in the statue. " " Surely 
the blemish must be very small and insignificant," 
answered the king. 

" Yes," said the artist, " it is very small, and is 
on the right cheek." 

" Then take your mallet and chisel and carve 
away the blemish," commanded the king. The 
sculptor ascended to the statue and began anew his 
work. Click, click, w^ent the sharp chisel on the 
cheek of marble. Slowly, carefully, deliberately, 
the artist worked away at the flaw. Suddenly, 
without a moment's warning, the beautiful statue 
toppled over, and went crashing to the pavement 
below, where it was dashed to pieces. The sculptor 
turned and looked down upon the white, upturned 
faces of the throng below. For a moment he 
viewed the scene. Then uttering a cry of despair, 
he jumped far out, and the next instant he lay dead 
among the ruins upon which he had spent the best 
years of his life. 

So it is in life. We may live for many, many 
years; building, building, until we rest from our 
labor, and wait patiently for the Master to call. 
Then, in that last hour, we may take one false step, 
strike one false blow, that will cause our fair house 
to fall and crumble into everlasting ruin. 

Meet temptation with holy thought and illustri- 
ous desires to know and do the will of God. Be 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 2/ 

just, because justice brings its own reward; be 
modest, because immodesty never pays in society; 
be brave, because you gain glory thereby; be true 
and faithful, because truth will bring you friends, 
the most useful of all possessions. 

O, my dear reader, " pause a moment before you 
hazard your dearest interests on a game of chance; 
for you cannot buy knowledge and carry it away 
in an earthly vessel; in your own soul you must 
receive it, to be a blessing or a curse." 

Deceive not yourself; keep constantly in mind 
the great and solemn thought that the all-seeing 
eye of God is ever upon you. An eye, dear 
reader, that is brighter than the noonday sun; an 
eye that can scan every nation and clime at a 
single glance; an eye that the Stygian darkness 
cannot overspread, or in any way shut out the vision; 
an eye, dear one, that penetrates even the vilest 
and darkest places in life. " As mere human 
knowledge can split a ray of light and analyze the 
manner of its composition, so God, with his sub- 
lime intelligence, may read in the feeble shining of 
this earth of ours every thought and act, every vice 
and virtue of every responsible creature in it.'' 

Let me plead with you to build a character that 
will cause Christ and the angels to rejoice when they 
behold it. Then when the Master calls, when your 
building is complete, you will not look mournfully 
into the past, but will look eagerly into the mighty 
future. And, as your life ebbs slowly away, and 
finally goes out amidst the rustling of an angel's 
wings — " like the breathing of a summer sea asleep 



28 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

upon a sandy shore '' — there will be no regrets, no 
sorrow, no mourning, because you built for Heaven 
and Life Eternal. 



^^^ 



THE SEA OF LIFE. 



And thou must sail upon this sea, a long 
Eventful voyage ! The wise may suffer wreck, 
The foolish must. Oh ! then, be early wise. 

— Ware. 



29 



THE SEA OF LIFE. 



CHAPTER II. 

*' Life is a sea; and each soul that is oorn is a 
frail bark, which has to push its way to the port of 
rest and peace. But when we launch a ship, we 
know not if it will reach its port or no. And so 
with the soul. 

It may not reach its home. It may go down at 
sea, it may strike a rock, or the foe may seize it 
and make it his prize. 

It is a fine sight to see the launch of a good ship. 
They cut the ropes and move the blocks, and off 
she ghdes with an air of grace down the slides, and 
dips her bows deep, and then rights and floats like 
a swan on the wave. 

And is it not a sweet sight to gaze at a dear babe 
on its mother's breast, and to watch the mild peace 
and sweet calm of its brow, and think that a soul 
lies in that little peaceful bosom, which must live 
when thrones are cast down, and crowns are gone? 
Is it not sweet to think that the dear babe knows 
not of all the pains and toil of a world which groans 
night and day with the sin of man? No throb of 
pain shoots through its frame, no pang of woe yet 
lights up its eye with the fire of pride, or brings to 
its cheek the red blush of shame. 

But go your way, and when years have past, 



32 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN, 

come back and seek that child. It may be dead; 
the jaws of the cold grave may have shut it in, and 
its bones may be now all that is left of its form of 
sweet grace and its pure charms. 

But if it lives, what a change! As you gaze once 
more on the face, how sad the sight! Care has dug 
deep on his brow, and the plow of vice wrought 
deep on his cheek. 

He is a thorn in that fond breast on which he 
hung when a child; and the heart that yearns for 
him now, as warm as at first, feels that it would 
have been well if he had not been born, or if the 
day of his birth had been the day of his death. 

Oh, what a curse is sin when it makes a child a 
plague, to sting the heart that loves it most, a curse 
to the warm heart of her who bare him i * ^^ * 

A ship with its rudder torn away is unmanagea- 
ble, and the pilot, expert though he may be, is 
forced to stand by and see the noble vessel drive 
straight into the merciless breakers. 

Just so with the soul. If it be left without a 
steering power, it is sure to go down at sea. * * * 

An eminent artist once wanted a subject from 
which to paint a picture of innocence. For days 
and weeks he searched diligently, and at last he 
came one day to the home of a poor but Christian 
family. He found the mother, on whose face the 
ravages of disease had set their mark, seated in a 
comfortable arm-chair. On the floor at her feet 
knelt a blue-eyed boy just beginning to talk; his 
little hands were clasped on his mother's knee, and 
looking up into her face, with all the trustfulness 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 33 

of an innocent child, he repeated after her the 
words of a simple prayer. 

As the artist seriously meditated upon the scene 
before him, his eyes filled with tears, and strong 
emotion moved his soul. " Oh, what a picture of 
innocence," he cried. " At last I have found my 
model." ###### 

Days, weeks, months and years rolled away; the 
picture, now completed, hung in one of the great- 
est art galleries of the world; hundreds of people 
gazed upon it and went away with grand motives 
and noble resolves filling their souls. The artist's 
fortune was made; the picture had brought him 
wealth and fame, but as the years went by he grew 
dissatisfied, and said: *' I will paint a picture of 
guilt and place it beside innocence, then I will lay 
my brush down and paint no more. " 

Then began the search for a subject from which 
to paint a picture portraying guilt; and this time 
he was even more particular than before, for he 
wanted it to hang by the side of innocence, to show 
the great contrast between the two. 

One day after years of weary travel he came to a 
gloomy prison. Here, down underneath the ground 
in a dark, damp and gloomy cell, he found the ob- 
ject of his search. The prisoner was young, in the 
very prime of early manhood, but upon what was 
once a fair and peaceful brow dissipation and 
crime had set their seal; on every feature guilt 
shone out so plainly that the artist cried out: '* Tis 
the model for my picture of guilt." # * # 

Time — of which the artist took no note — with 
tireless and rapid wings hurried on. The picture 



34 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

was completed and placed beside innocence, and 
from almost every part of the globe people came in 
great numbers to see this wonderful painting. 
Mothers were there, and when they looked at the 
picture they would exclaim: " Oh, what a contrast; 
surely the picture of guilt is overdrawn." 

Among the thousands of people who looked upon 
those pictures, there were but few who knew that 
the child of innocence and the man of guilt were 
one and the same, yet it was true; the little boy, 
kneeling at his mother's feet, his face diffused with 
the divine light of God, and wistful eyes of blue 
looking up into his mother's pale but kind face, 
was the guilty man that stood in the loathsome 
cell. 

Oh, God! what a change! It seems impossible 
that one who was so innocent could ever grow to 
be such a vile, sinful creature as the man now look- 
ing through the prison bars. The frail craft had 
been left v/ithout a mother to guide it, and in the 
struggles incident to human life, had gone down in 
the waves of adversity. 

Life is a sea, and storms must be met — the best 
meet vv-ith them, but the worst make storms, as 
though the storms of this life were play and sport 
to them, and they could not have too much of 
them. But there is one storm which they dare not 
face, and that is the storm of death. They may 
brave it out to the last, and boast that they have 
no fear; but if we could read their hearts, we should 
see a worm at work, which gives death a sting no 
orce of man can draw out. 

I said that each soul was a frail bark — yes — 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 35 

and the same storms that meet a ship will meet the 
soul in her way to her rest. 

Look at a ship as she shakes out her reefs to the 
wind and leaves her port. The hearts of her brave 
crew are free from care, a smile plays upon the 
cheek, the flags throw out their bright stripes in 
the breeze, the hat is off, and a shout rends the 
sky; all is life and joy. 

But, by-and-by, the scene changes; fierce winds 
split the sails to rags; the sea boils, and its white 
foam curls up and shoots through the shrouds; 
mountainous waves, capped with silver spray, come 
bounding toward the vessel. Darker and darker 
grow the clouds, the lightning flashes through the 
dark sky like fiery serpents, lighting up the scene 
with a strange, weird beauty. 

Nearer and nearer come the mighty waves, while 
high on their crest rides the storm-petrel, fearless 
messenger of the storm, sending forth his shrill and 
mournful cry out over the restless deep, like some 
lost mariner. Stronger blows the wind, causing the 
ship to rock to and fro like a toy cradle. And now 
the storm, in all its fury, strikes the vessel and 
sweeps clear the decks; the good ship groans in all 
her planks; her beams quake from stem to stern; 
the masts crack, and her ribs of oak strain and 
creak; right gallantly she rides the waves, now 
lifting herself majestically toward Heaven, then, 
like a monster of the deep, diving far beneath the 
waves. 

Leaks are sprung, and the pumps work in vain; 
the crew are struck with awe, each stout heart is 
faint, the eye of each wanes dim, the cheek turns 



36 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

pale, the knees shake; no hope lights up the eye, 
no smile of joy plays now round the mouth; pale 
death seems to ride the wave, and his hour is come. 

But the helm is in the grasp of one who knows 
how to steer, and each eye now turns as its last 
hope to him. His skill saves the ship, the keen 
shaft of death lights not on the crew, but they ride 
through the storm and are brought by the good 
hand of that God who rules the wave, and can say 
to it in its wild war: " Peace, be still," and speak it 
to a calm, to the port where they would be. And 
it is just so with the soul. The winds may blow a 
keen blast, and the storm may howl around her 
path, but if the helm is in the hand of Christ she is 
safe. 

None but Christ can guide her through the 
storms of life, and bring her safe to the port of 
peace and rest. 

Almost daily in our voyage of life, we see pirate 
crafts bearing on their great, black bows such 
names as Skeptic, Infidel, Free-love, Mormon, 
Atheist. Every one of them are condemned ves- 
sels, and the soul that takes passage on any of them 
does so on its own risk. 

A few years ago I took passage on a ship that 
had been pronounced unseaworthy by proper offi- 
cers. On the evening of the second day out a 
severe storm came upon us. All night the old ves- 
sel struggled with the tempestuous ocean, creaking 
in every joint as though she would go to pieces at 
any moment. I realized my position fully. I had 
of my own free will chosen a condemned vessel 
with which to make my voyage. Had I gone 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. ^7 

down with that ship I could have blamed no one 
but myself, for good men had told me the ship was 
unfit for sea. 

Dear people, how many, oh, how many! are 
to-day going aboard the condemned vessels that 
are sailing on the sea of life, while good people 
stand by and plead with them to take passage on 
the good ship Zion? Ah, I fear there are many 
who turn aside from such pleading to step aboard 
condemned vessels which will finally run into heavy 
breakers and sink in mid-ocean. In its voyage 
through life the soul should take soundings so as to 
keep off the sand-bars of sin. 

At the mouth of the Columbia river there is a 
treacherous sand-bar. The tide of the broad Pacific 
and the sweeping river together shifts the bar 
from one place to another, until sailors never know 
just where to find it. 

When a ship nears this place two sailors, one on 
each side of the ship, take their stand with long 
sounding lines. 

They throw the lines far out ahead of the vessel, 
and as the plumb passes directly beneath them 
they cry out in a pecuUar voice the number of 
fathoms deep. By this means the pilot is enabled 
to steer his vessel safely into the river. 

Remember, dear voyager, that none but Christ 
can pilot your vessel through the storms of this 
life, and bring her safe into_ Heaven's eternal 
harbor. 

None who trust Him shall miss that port at last. 
They may have a rough path, but it shall end in 
peace. They may meet with storms not a few, 



38 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

but they shall ride through them all and be kept in 
peace. 

Let us each take Christ on board and pray Him 
to take the helm and guide us and lead us in all 
our ways. He knows each rock that lies hid. He 
sees each storm as it comes and He can keep us 
clear of the rocks and ward off the storms. 

If life is a sea it has its shores. Our birth is a 
shore, our death is a shore too; but the life to 
come has no shore, it ends not. Some pass from 
their birth to their death in a few days; some in a 
few months; some in a few years; but all, yes, all, 
in a sho7't time — yes, time is short. 

Let us see to it that we are in the course that 
leads to the port of bliss, and then, when our sun 
goes down the sky, we shall wake up to the joys of 
a life that is not short, a life that shall know no end. 

At the close of the late war persons who had 
loved ones away, were very anxious for them to 
return^ One day in a certain town it was announced 
that a company of soldiers would arrive the follow- 
ing day. Morning dawned fair and bright, and 
soon the town was swarming with people from all 
parts of the country. 

Sisters were there to meet brothers that had been 
gone for four long years. Mothers were there to 
welcome home beloved sons; wives were there to 
welcome home dear husbands; maids were there to 
welcome home long-absent lovers. 

When the train pulled in and the boys in blue 
began stepping off, a grand sight presented itself; 
tears fell on the platform like rain, while from hun- 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 39 

dreds of throats went up the cry of '' Home, home 
at last.'' 

Sailing rapidly over the sea of life I see two 
great vessels with outspread sails; one is crowded 
to its utmost capacity, but the other is not crowded; 
each pilot seems bent on leaving the other, and so 
crowds on every sail. On, on they speed, faster and 
faster, scattering the white foam in every direction. 
But see, a change is coming; the sea-birds seek 
refuge on the ships. It is certain that this means a 
hurricane. 

The center of the clouds in the zenith are dismal 
black, while their skirts are tinged with a copper^ 
colored hue. And now I hear a terrific noise like 
the sound of thunder mingled with that of torrents 
rushing down the steeps of lofty mountains. 

The sky and the water seem blended together. 
Thick masses of clouds, of a frightful form, sweep 
across the zenith with the swiftness of birds, while 
others appear motionless as rocks. Not a single 
spot of sky is discernible in the whole firmament. 
But see! just a little ways ahead of the two ships^ 
massive rocks rear their rough faces high above the 
boihng sea. 

Two great mountains tower into the sky, leaving^ 
just room enough between them for the passage of 
a ship. 

The pilot on the crowded vessel stands firm at 
his post; one false move, and all is lost; the pas- 
sengers turn toward him, and wait with bated 
breath; the ship tosses violently, but speeds 
unerringly on its way. 

Nearer and nearer to the narrow opening in the 



40 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

mountains she comes, just grazing the fearful rocks 
that seem directly in her path, and now mid a great 
shout she passes through the narrow opening into 
still waters beyond. Angels look out over the 
battlements of Heaven and shout, " Home, home at 
last! " 

But look at the other ship; she struggles with the 
breakers and a general cry of horror issues fiom the 
passengers. 

On she speeds like the wind; the pilot is restless 
and uneasy; and now the ship turns from her 
course and is instantly dashed upon the rocks, at 
the distance of a cable's length from the harbor of 
peace. 

Friends, which vessel are you on? The one 
with Christ at the helm, which will finally land at 
Heaven's gate; or the one that will eventually dash 
on the rocks and carry you down to everlasting 
misery and woe? 

Where instead of saying" Home, home at last! '' 
you will say " Father, mother, sister, brother, wife, 
Heaven and all its joys, I bid you an eternal fare- 
well!" 



Not Dead, but Sleeping. 



Why pause the mourners? Who forbids one weeping? 
Who the dark pomp of sorrow has delayed ! 
** Set down the bier — he is not dead, but sleeping ! 
Voung man, arise ! " — He spake and was obeyed ! 



Not Dead, but Sleeping. 



CHAPTER III. 

Many years ago, there lived in a small city called 
" Nain," a widow and her son. Through long 
years of penury, suffering and toil, the fond mother 
watched over her darling boy — with that tender 
love and care which a mother knows so well how 
to wield — until he grew to be a strong, noble- 
hearted man. 

Every one who met him loved him. Joy and 
peace attended his footsteps wherever he went. 
His mother looked upon him with pride, and well 
she might, for he was worthy her great admiration. 
As the widow looked upon her heart's idol, an ex- 
pression of joy came into her face, and the bright, 
loving smiles that came and went drove, for the 
time being, all the wrinkles from her aged brow. 

Looking into his mother's bright, sunny face, the 
young man thought of the unclouded future and 
its wonderful possibilities. He pictured to his 
mind how he would beautify the little home and 
add to its comfort. 

Already he could see the climbing ivy, which he 
would plant, that in time would cover the front 
porch, making a cool shade wherein his mother 
could sit, protected from the scorching rays of the 
sun, and wait for his coming home from labor. 

43 



44 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

But, alas, alas, how little we know what a day will 
bring forth! 

The young man was taken very sick, and the 
widowed mother, all lorn and forsaken, sat mourn- 
ing in the silent chamber of suffering and gloom. 
I say forsaken, because the neighbors did not come 
to comfort her in this her greatest trial. These 
two, widow and son, had lived alone, caring for 
nothing save each other. 

Therefore, the people stood aloof and disturbed 
them not. As the poor, distressed mother stood 
by the bedside of her child and witnessed his agony 
and suffering, her strength failed, and with a shriek 
that seemed to come from the very depths of a 
breaking heart, she sank helpless to the floor. The 
sick boy, startled from his feverish sleep, opened 
his eyes and softly murmured, *' Mother, where are 
you ?" Low as the words were spoken, the anxious 
mother's quick ear caught the sound, and stagger- 
ing to her feet she said, " Here I am, dear one.'* 

But the sufferer heard her not, for he w^as sleep- 
ing again. Through long, wearisome days the 
patient, loving mother watched o'er her boy's an- 
guish, and through long, dreary nights she kept 
her lonely vigil by his side. But all in vain. 
Turning to his mother one evening, just as the 
setting sun was flooding the room with rich, mel- 
low light, he said: *' Dearest mother, hard as it 
may seem, I must leave you." " Oh, what will I 
do!" cried the almost frantic mother, "if my 
blessed boy is taken from me and carried away to 
some distant grave?" 

*' I know not, mother. I suppose, however, that 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 45 

a way will be provided." For a moment there was 
silence, then the boy continued: 

** Kiss me good-by, dearest mother, for I-am 
g-o-i-n-g. Farewell/' The long vigil was over, 
and the object of so much care and anxiety lay still 
in death's cold grasp. 

The mother's fair dream was over, and all the 
bright, glorious visions that once came to solace and 
comfort her have vanished. Grief! strong, bitter 
grief, such as only comes to mothers, now took 
possession of the lone widow. Oh! dark and 
mournful was her soul as she gazed with sadness 
on all that reminded her of life in the dead. In the 
cold, calm face are features that speak of childish 
freaks and awaken remembrances of bright, joyous 
days forever gone. 

The long, dark hours of night finally wore away, 
and a new day broke in splendor o'er the widow's 
desolate home. The haughty Roman sentinel, 
with glittering spear stood beside the gate of Nain. 
The busy, hurrying tread of early comers to the 
city was over, a dead, white heat quivered upon 
the firm, sleeping dust. The cold snake crept forth 
from his hiding place by the wall, and basked his 
scaly side in the sun. 

It was high noon. A solemn hush fell on the 
city. And the dull, low murmur of a funeral broke 
upon the ear. The silent throng crept slowly along 
the wide street. On, through the burning rays of 
the sun, they walked with forgetful sadness. When 
they arrived at the city gate it swung back on its 
massive hinges, and the Roman bent his spear point 



46 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

downward as the bearers passed bending beneath 
their burden. 

There was but one mourner, and she followed 
close behind the coffin, crumpling the pall with her 
withered hands. Her short steps faltered with 
weakness, and moan after moan came from her 
broken heart. There were those about her who 
had pity, yet they spoke no words of comfort; for 
the widow had always lived alone with her boy, he 
was her all, the only treasure, there was no one that 
could comfort her. Just as the procession passed 
from the gate a man came meeting it on his way to 
*'Nain." The stranger was very pale and great 
drops of sweat stood on his fair brow. Since early 
sunrise he had been trudging along the dusty high- 
way from Capernaum. 

Although the day was very warm, he had not 
stopped at Kishon's sparkling springs to w^et his 
parched lips, or wash his burning feet. On the 
alder of Bethulia's plain the grapes of Palestine 
hung ripe and wild, yet he turned not aside to 
pluck one, but kept gazing on from every swelling 
mount to where, amid the distant hills, nestled the 
humble roofs of " Nain.'' The pitying crowd fol- 
lowed by the one stricken mourner moved on 
toward the place of burial. 

The grief-stricken mother with straining hands 
clasped the pall closer upon her breast and with a 
gasping sob quick as a child and with an inquiring 
wildness dashing through the thin, gray lashes of 
her fevered eyes, she came to where the stranger 
stood by the roadside. The mourner paused, and 
when the traveler looked upon her, his heart was 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 47 

deeply moved. Turning to those who bore the 
bier, he said, " Set down the bier — he is not dead, 
but sleeping! ** When they laid the corpse at his 
feet he gently took the pall from the mother's 
hands and in silence laid it back from the dead. 

The throng in mute wonder drew nigh and gazed 
in silence on the stranger's calm brow. For a 
moment the pale traveler stood and prayed. Then 
taking the cold hand, he said, " Arise! " 

Instantly the breast began heaving, a sudden 
flush ran through the divided lips ; weak and 
trembling in every limb, the boy sat upright in his 
shroud and with a murmur spoke his mother's 
name. With a cry of delight, the mother clasped 
her treasure around the neck and wept for joy. 

Then the stranger went calmly on his way to 
" Nain. " Mothers, think what fearful darkness en- 
veloped this poor widow's soul. The light of 
Divine Truth had never been shed abroad in her 
heart. With her, death ended all. But with you 
it is different. You know there is another, better 
and a grander life than this. You know that if we 
are to enjoy that better life we must die in Christ, 

Are you training the children for Heaven and life 
eternal ? If you are, how happy you will be when 
they gather about your death-bed and promise to 
meet you in that upper and better kingdom ! O, 
Lord ! when Thou dost speak on that great day 
which we have heard of, grant that we may rise 
even as the widow's son, and dwell with Thee for- 
ever and forever. Amen. 



ABOVE THE CLOUDS. 



Whoever, with an earnest soul, 

Strives for some end from this low world afar ; 
Still upward travels, though he miss the goal, 

And strays — but towards a star. 

— Bulwer^ 



49 



ABOVE THE CLOUDS. 



CHAPTER IV. 

A FEW years ago I stood on the top of a high 
mountain and watched the sun rise. 

Far below me lay the valley, wrapped in darkness, 
enveloped in a dense fog. 

A heavy dew had fallen during the night, and 
everything around me was damp, and the limbs of 
the huge pine tree near me drooped beneath the 
weight upon them. 

Presently, far away over a distant mountain peak, 
I caught a glimpse of the rising sun. Higher and 
higher rose the glorious orb of day, until at last he 
seemed to sit on the lofty mountain's top, like a 
great fire king seated on his throne. 

Only for a moment did he rest here, and then he 
started on his glorious course through the blue of 
heaven. I cast my eyes below. O, how grand! 
It looked like the broad Pacific Ocean was beneath 
me. The earth, the trees, everything was hid from 
my sight by a heavy white vapor. I could see 
beautiful rainbows all about me, and the dewdrops 
on the great pine tree by my side sparkled like 
diamonds. 

The scene was one that is past description, and 
seemed to me like heaven — grand, glorious, sub- 
lime! But suddenly a change came over the scene 

51 



52 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

below me. The great white mass began breaking 
apart, and rolled itself into separate balls, and 
directly one huge ball came slowly toward me. As 
it advanced it changed its form and looked like 
a great snow man coming to devour me. Nearer 
and nearer it came, and presently it assumed the 
shape of a monstrous ghost with a snow-white 
mantle wrapped about it. 

I almost held my breath as it passed by me so 
very close that I could almost touch it. It rose 
above me and went flying through the heavens. 
Another and another went by, until at last the val- 
ley in all its beauty opened up before me. 

As I stood there pondering in my mind the 
mighty works of nature, my gaze was attracted to 
an eagle sitting on her nest five hundred feet below 
me. While I was looking at her she made an effort 
as if to rise. For a moment the massive wings 
were silent, and then the noble bird made another 
strong attempt, but failed. 

The air was too heavy; the damp vapors held 
her down. For a long time she remained quiet, 
and then the trial was made again, but this time 
with better success, for slowly but surely she rose. 
Higher and higher she came, each stroke of her 
great wings bringing her into purer air. Presently 
her circles grew wider, and faster she came toward 
me, until her wings fanned my cheeks, and she 
soared past me up into the ethereal blue heaven, 
and vanished from my sight. 

In each one of these scenes which I have sketched 
from nature, there is a grand lesson. Kind reader, 
while you are in life and health, be up and doing. 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 53 

and, like the clouds, get above the low things of 
life. Strive for a higher place, where the heavy, 
damp air cannot hold you down. Climb up where 
God is, and then you will have naught to fear. 
There is so much to do in this life, that, work 
as hard as we may, when we are called to go it 
seems but little we have accomplished. Therefore, 
arise young man, gird on your armor, and like the 
gallant knight of old, go forth into the grand battle 
of life shouting the name of Jesus as your watch- 
word. 

Get up out of the heavy vapors of unbelief, for 
while you are there you cannot move. You must 
get on to a higher plane. Ah! be like the eagle 
and soar on wings of love high above all worldly 
desires. Pray for a fire to be kindled in your soul 
that will light up your countenance and be the 
means of bringing weary, sin-sick souls to a peace- 
ful harbor. 

We cannot live without the air we breathe, no 
more can we live without taking God into our 
souls. If the Bible seems dark to you, and you 
cannot understand all you would like to about it, 
be not discouraged, but take what you can under- 
stand, and ponder well the admonition it affords, 
for as the heavy mist that hangs over the mountain 
disappears when the sun, God's glorious messenger 
of day, comes forth, even so with us; as we advance 
in God's cause our darkened views will give way to 
grander conceptions of the good and true, and we 
shall see God in all His beauty and know Him, 

Be pure in life, pure in all manner of conversa- 
tion. " Purity, purity like that of the little ermine, 



54 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

the most fastidious animal in the world. Its hair 
and skin is white almost as the driven snow, and 
when they seek to capture the little ermine, for it 
is very sly and shy when it comes out of its den, 
they sprinkle dirt and mud along its pathway, and 
when it returns and sees the dirt and mud in its 
pathway it will lie down and subject itself to capt- 
ure and death before it will smirch one of its little 
white hairs." Dear reader, endeavor to reach that 
point in life where you will lie down and die any 
minute before you will smirch your character, or 
say or do anything that is improper or unclean 
before the eyes of God. Live while in this hfe in 
such a way and manner that when you are gone 
there will be many left behind that will remember 
you for your many kind acts and deeds of charity 
bestowed, then loving hands will raise a monument 
over you and engrave on its snow-white surface 
these simple, yet impressive, words: 
" He was much loved/' 






The Wanderer's Dream. 



Serve and wait, for when beyond us, 

Lives float off to yonder shore, 
Never word or loving service 

Can we render evermore. 
And that river may be near us, 

In this murky light unseen. 
So let us strew along its borders 

Boughs of living evergreen. 

— Ethel Lynn, 



%% 



The Wanderer's Dream. 



CHAPTER V. 

A FEW years ago a youth of eighteen years^ 
while seeking his fortune in the far West, was over- 
taken one night on the top of a high mountain by 
a violent snow-storm. He sought shelter in a cave- 
near by, and made himself as comfortable as pos- 
sible. The wind blew very hard and sent great 
gusts of snow whirling into the cave, covering the 
poor wanderer over. 

As he lay there shivering, he thought of his 
beautiful home twenty-five hundred miles away; he 
thought of his kind father, of his loving mother^ 
and of sisters dear, and wondered if he would ever 
see their smiling faces again. 

He remembered of hearing persons say that if 
one had plenty of money they would be ready for 
any emergency. 

But ah! as he lay there on the lonely mountain 
top all alone, he thought to himself: ** If I owned 
the world, I would give it to be at home with loved 
ones.'' 

The snow is still falling in feathery flakes, but the 
dear boy knows it not, for he is asleep, and in his^ 
dreams he is transported far away to a distant city- 
near his own home. 

As he walks along the streets, he observes the 



58 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

people as they hurry by; every one seems to be 
thinking only of themselves, and above all things he 
notices that but few of the many who pass him by 
ever smile. 

And now as he turns a corner he sees an old man 
sitting on a box begging alms; his hair is sil- 
vered over with many winters, and his face is sad 
and sorrowful. As he stands looking at the old 
man, a gentleman handsomely dressed passes by 
and drops a piece of silver in the old man's hand; 
he takes the money and thanks the gentleman for 
it. But as he does so the wanderer sees no change 
on that poor wrinkled face, no bright smile lighting 
up that sorrowful countenance. The same lonely 
gaze remains. But as he stands there he sees a 
lady stop by the old man's side, and put her gloved 
hand tenderly on his shoulder; she is speaking, but 
he cannot hear what she is saying to the old man. 

But as the dear lady turns to go away, he sees 
the old man lift his eyes, and over his face there is 
diffused such a light that the wrinkles are hardly 
discernable. Ah, yes ! there is actually a smile on 
the withered lips. 

The lady is gone, and now comes a little flower- 
girl; she steps before the old man, who looks at her 
wistfully, but does not speak; presently she goes 
tip to him and puts her arms about his neck and 
says: *' Oh! you poor old man. I have no money 
to give you, but I can put my little arms around 
your neck and love you, and smile just as though 
you were my own dear grandpa, can't I? ** 

And as the wanderer looks he sees the old man 
take the sweet little girl in his arms, and as he does 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 59 

SO the silver falls to the pavement, but he heeds it 
not, for oh what is money to him compared with 
what he now holds in his arms? And as the tears 
streamed down the old man's cheeks, the wanderer 
cast his eyes above, and lo, an angel was descend- 
ing. Nearer and nearer it came until it hovered 
directly over the old man and child, and then it 
spake these words: 

*' Ah! my little one, 'tis not on earth that 
Heaven's justice ends; you have by your kind act 
laid up for yourself a crown in Heaven. 

*' The smile you gave the poor old man cost you 
nothing, yet it is beyond price to the lonely one, 
the sad and cheerful, the lost and forsaken. It dis- 
arms malice, subdues temper, turns enmity to 
love, revenge to kindness, and paves the darkest 
paths with gems of sunlight. A smile on the brow 
betrays a kind heart, a pleasant friend; a smile 
resembles an angel of Paradise. 

" I therefore charge you, little one, to use the 
old man kindly until I come to take him home, and 
then you shall be richly rewarded." 

The angel then ascended into Heaven, and as it 
vanished from sight the wanderer took a solemn 
vow that henceforth during his life he would scat- 
ter more sunshine than he had ever done before. 

Just as he finished his vow he woke; he was very 
cold and hungry, but the dream clung to him, and, 
kind reader, it is clinging to him yet. Remember, 
dear reader, that goodness of heart is man's best 
treasure, honor and noblest acquisition. It is the 
ray of His divinity which dignifies humanity. 

Also, that as each ray of the sunbeam aids in the 



60 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

production of the photograph, so each deed, how- 
ever trifling it may seem, is an element in the de- 
velopment of our moral being. The tender words 
and loving deeds which we scatter for the hearts 
which are nearest to us are immortal seed that will 
spring up in everlasting beauty, not only in our 
own lives, but in the lives of those born after us. 

Love ye one another, and be ye tender-hearted 
and true; for this we owe to Christ. 






THE SUNSET OF LIFE. 



Morn is the time to act, noon to endure; 
But O ! if thou wouldst keep thy spirit pure, 
Turn from the beaten path, by worldlings trod, 
Go forth at eventide, in heart to walk with God. 

— Mrs. E, C. Embury. 



THE SUNSET OF LIFE. 



CHAPTER VI. 

What a grand sight it is to witness a glorious 
sunset. For instance, it has been raining all day, 
but toward evening the dark clouds that have hung 
over us like a pall begin to break away, here and 
there we catch a glimpse of light through a rifted 
cloud, and presently the clouds roll together in 
huge masses, and the sun's rays shining on these 
bring the rainbow to our view in all its beauty. 

Around the sun everything is tinted with soft, 
mellow light, and finally, when the glorious messen- 
ger of day sinks to rest, we exclaim, Oh! where is 
the artist that can paint such a scene? Our cradle 
is where we start to run the race of life, and could 
more persons than do realize that this is but the 
rugged road on which we are traveling to the life 
eternal, life beyond the grave, to that divine abode 
where the sun never sets and all is joy and peace; 
could they but realize this, our lives would be hap- 
pier while here on earth. 

How very different it would be if we but used 
life as we should, " schooling each wandering 
thought to a higher state,'' taking our brother by 
the hand and lifting him up, endeavoring at all 
times to raise fallen humanity rather than to lower 
it. 

63 



64 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

Remember, kind reader, though you be rich, the 
time will come when you will sleep by the poor 
man's side. Then how much better off will you be 
than he is? 

God has given us golden opportunities and we 
ought to improve them while it is yet called to-day. 
Look about you, young men, and see the heights 
by great men reached and kept. They did not 
reach them in a single day nor hour, but they 
attained them by diligent work, " while their com- 
panions slept they were toiling upward in the 
night." 

Considering the uncertainty of life, it behooves 
us all to guard every flying moment, watching with 
zealous care every fleeting hour, rearing for our- 
selves lives fit for presentation at the judgment 
seat of God. 

How terrible the sight to see a young man just 
verging into the stern realities of life, led astray by 
being buoyed up with false hopes held out to him 
by those who have no other desire in life but to 
destroy the good and pure about them. 

And then to behold that young man when he 
awakes to a full realization of his condition. The 
veil is now torn from his eyes and he beholds him- 
self as he is. Ah! the sunset of his life is indeed 
dark and gloomy, there is no bright rays to light 
up his pathway, no one near to cheer him. His 
false associates have gone and he finds himself alone 
in the deepest abyss of gloom and despair. 

Fond memory — the only paradise out of which 
man cannot be driven — is all that is left him. He 
engages in silent reverie and presently a vision comes 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 65 

before him, ah, 'tis his mother! How vividly he 
remembers when she toiled and labored for him in 
the years that are now numbered with the past. 
She is older to-night than when he saw her last, her 
face is not so smooth and fair as it once was, for 
time and sorrow have placed many wrinkles there. 
And her hair that was once as black as a raven's 
wing is now streaked with gray. The vision van- 
ishes, and the poor wanderer slowly repeats these 
words: 

Her spirit long ago took its flight 
To heaven's fair city above; 
Where angels reign forever bright 
In the realms of God's eternal love. 

I Stood on board a ship one day after a severe 
storm. Twas evening when the dark clouds lifted 
from off the ocean and revealed to my sight the sun, 
slowly sinking to rest. 

The white-capped waves, as they leaped high in 
air and came in contact with the bright rays of the 
sun, were lit up with dazzling brilliancy. It was 
indeed to me an impressive sight to see the glorious 
orb of day sink into the ocean. I watched it as it 
seemed to sink in the water, and slowly, peacefully, 
and noiselessly descended into the mighty deep, it 
seemed to linger for a moment — as if reluctant to 
part — as it passed from sight, and then lighting up 
the sky with a lurid light, it trembled on the water 
a moment and then disappeared. 

For a long time I stood there on deck thinking 
of the goodness and greatness of God, and of the 
time when the sunset of my life would come, until 
the stars came out and reminded me that it was time 



66 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

to go to my room. And now, kind reader, let me 
ask you to so live that when you come to die it will 
be a sweet relief for you to know that you are only 
falling asleep in Jesus, as calm and peaceful as the 
sun set on the ocean. 

" Fill your heart with pure thoughts, they will be 
as flowers that are imperishable; they will bloom 
over you when you are no more; they will spring 
up beneath your feet in Heaven, and delight you 
with an eternal odor, for they are of the soul. 

Lose not a moment; prepare for the great, the 
awful journey from sorrow to bliss, from corruption 
to immortality. 






Helon, the Wanderer. 



Hope the best, get ready for the worst, and take what God sends. 

— Malherbe. 



Helon,the Wanderer. 



CHAPTER VIL 

The rays of the morning sun fell rosy and beauti- 
ful on the city gates; and from the distant hills came 
the poor, anxious to begin their work. From out 
the city rose the sharp clink of the hammer, the 
hum of moving wheels and the tread of multitudes 
already astir. 

Suddenly from a distant part of the city there 
came a piercing cry that sent terror to the hearts 
of those who heard it. " Room for the leper. " 
Then from the distant hills echo tauntingly answered: 
*' Room for the leper." 

Men, women and children instantly turned aside 
and let him pass. Onward through the open gate 
the poor wanderer passed with sack-cloth girdled 
about his loins and a thick covering on his lips. 

Slowly and painfully the forsaken man moved 
along, crying in a sorrowful tone : " Unclean ! 
Unclean!'' It was the middle of the Judean sum- 
mer and the loftiest of Judah's nobles, with clear 
and flashing eye, had watched the budding leaves 
put forth. He was young and eminently beautiful 
and life in eloquent fullness mantled on his lips and 
sparkled in his glance, and about him was a gracious 
pride that every eye followed with rich benisons. 

With the balmy air of summer there had come a 

69 



70 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

Stupor over his frame, which nothing could drive 
away. The blood ran sluggishly in his veins, and 
o'er his eyes there crept a film that almost excluded 
the light. His limbs seemed fettered with heavy 
chains and his voice was changed from its clear, 
silver key, into a languid moan. He fought the 
stern malady with all the manhood in him, but to 
no purpose, for he was finally compelled to yield 
to its overpowering grasp. 

Then for many days he lay like one asleep; his 
pretty skin became dry and bloodless, and white 
scales encircled with deep purple covered him 
over. His beautiful pink nails grew black and fell 
away from the lifeless flesh about them, and the 
lines deepened beneath the hard, unmoistened 
scales and from their edges grew rank, white hair. 
Then Helon was pronounced a leper. 

Day was just breaking, and the holy priest of 
God stood at the altar of the temple. A low 
chant rose through the arches of the roof and 
there alone wasted to a ghastly skeleton. Helon 
knelt. 

The echoes of the mournful strains died away in 
the distance, and he rose up, lowered his head unto 
the sprinkled ashes, threw off his beautiful raiment 
for the leper's garb, and with sack-cloth round him 
and his lip hid in a loathsome covering, stood wait- 
ing for his sentence. Then spake the priest : 

" Depart from the temple of God, thou leprous 
child of Israel, and take up thy dwelling in the 
desert places of the land. Shun every city ; keep 
aloof from every habitation, and wet not thy lips in 
streams which flow past human dwellings. You 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. y\ 

must not milk the goat, pluck the grain, or lie down 
to sleep underneath the spreading branches of the 
trees. Henceforth the wilderness must be your 
only resting place/* 

Without being permitted to take leave of those 
he loved, not even her whose name and image were 
woven in the very fibers of his heart, the doomed 
man was driven from the city, heart-broken and 
alone, to die. One day at noon, with the burning 
rays of the sun beaming down on his head, Helon 
knelt at a stagnant pool in the depths of a lonely 
swamp and bathed his scorching, leprous brow. 
He also lifted the loathsome water to his parched 
lips, and prayed that he might be permitted to die 
and end his agony. 

As he knelt there by the pool, his mind went 
back to the bright, beautiful past. He thought of 
the time when he was surrounded with all the lux- 
uries of life, of the time when he joined in the ex- 
citing chase, and with heaving breast listened to the 
shrill note of the huntsman's horn. Then, swift as 
a flash, came the thought; Exiled ! banished ! It 
was more than Helon could stand, and as the scald- 
ing tears coursed down his dry, sunken cheeks, he 
put his hands over his face and groaned aloud, 
"Banished! banished! O, holy priest of the tem- 
ple, hidden in thy cruel sentence are ten thousand 
deaths ! " 

As the suffering Helon crouched on the ground, 
he was startled by the sound of approaching foot- 
steps. Being too weak to flee, he drew the cover- 
ing closer on his lips, crying : " Unclean ! un- 
clean ! " Then hiding himself in the folds of the 



72 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

coarse sack-cloth, he stretched himself on the 
ground and waited for the stranger to pass. 

Nearer and nearer he came, until he stood by the 
wanderer's prostrate form. Then he spoke his name. 
*' Helon ! '' At the sound of that sweet voice, the 
dull, feeble pulse of the disease awoke, and, with a 
restoring thrill, sped beneath the burning, leprous 
scales. " Helon, arise ! " 

The voice was like the master-tone of a rich in- 
strument, and was to Melon's crushed and broken 
spirit what dew from Heaven is to the famished 
flowers. Forgetting he v/as a leper, he rose and 
stood before him who had tracked him to his lair. 
Helon looked at the stranger with mingled awe and 
surprise. His raiment was simple and much worn. 
In fact, there was nothing about him to denote 
princely lineage, save the command which sat 
serenely throned on his countenance. 

When he smiled, he seemed touched with the 
open innocence of a child. His eyes were blue 
and calm, as is the sky in the serenest noon, and 
his dark, luxuriant hair fell in beautiful ringlets to 
his shoulders. 

The stranger gazed earnestly at Helon awhile, 
and then, stooping down, he took a little water in 
his hand, laid it on Helon's brow, and said: '* Be 
thou clean." 

Instantly the dry scales fell from him, the blood 
leaped with a delicious coolness through his veins, 
and his dry palms grew moist, while over his brow 
the dewy softness of an infant stole. 

In our own beautiful land there are many lepers, 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 72; 

differing in many respects to those of Helon's day^ 
yet they are, in every sense of the word, lepers. 

They are called sinful lepers. The disease lays^ 
hold upon the heart, and if it was not for the vic- 
tim's actions, the world would know nothing about 
the dreadful malady. But, try as they may to con- 
ceal the fact, the disease is sure to come to the 
surface, sooner or later. 

In our country, lepers are permitted to mingle: 
with the pure in heart without being molested. 
And just here is one of the greatest wrongs ofe 
to-day. 

Young women should see to it that lepers are: 
banished from their parlors and from their society.- 
Kind reader, I want to impress upon your mind a> 
solemn truth, one which I hope you will treasure up 
long after you have thrown this book aside. It isv 
this: We may escape banishment and exile while in. 
this world, but in the world to come there is no 
plan given whereby we may elude the stern sentence' 
of the " Great High Priest," ** Depart from me, ye- 
cursed, into everlasting torment." 

Remember, if you are a wanderer in the dark 
wilderness of sin and sorrow, heavy-laden, stricken^, 
crushed, a prey to evil thoughts, feeling that you; 
are doomed, undone, and that you will soon be 
stranded on the rock-bound coast of despair, there- 
is One who is able to give you comfort, ease and^ 
happiness. One who can cleanse you of your lep- 
rosy, cause your heart to leap for joy, and your' 
eyes to sparkle with delight. 

His name is Jesus. The same dear Christ that: 
lifted Helon, the Wanderer, out of his wretchednesE> 



f4 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

and woe in the wilderness of far-away Judea. Be 
warned, learn righteousness, and reverence Heaven. 
Then, when the end of time comes, you will hear 
the same rich voice that greeted Helon*sear crying: 
" Arise, and dwell with Me forever." 






Fritz, the Little Huichback. 



Our many deeds, the thoughts that we have thought. 

They go out from us thronging every hour; 

And in them all is folded up a power 

That on the earth doth move them to and fro; 

And mighty are the marvels they have wrought 

In hearts we know not, and may never know. 

-^F, W. Fader. 



fS 



Fritz, the Little Huichbach. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

The following story is one that I have caught 
from the drift. It was floating along on the great 
sea of literature, where I found it. But now I 
have dressed it up, and will start it out into the 
busy world again. 

A great many years ago, the Austrians made 
many attempts to take Switzerland. They often 
invaded the country, but were as often repulsed 
and driven back by the hardy Swiss peasants. , 

The Swiss were very strongly fortified, the Alps 
mountains affording them a splendid rendezvous. 
At various places on the mountains were built large 
piles of wood, ready at a given signal to light, in 
order that the peasants could prepare for battle as 
soon as the beacon light shone out over the misty 
mountain tops. 

In a little hut built far up the height of a moun- 
tain, there lived a poor peasant and his family, 
consisting of himself, wife and two boys. One of 
these (Little Fritz) fell when very small and broke 
his back, making him a cripple for life, being what 
we would call a hunchback. 

The little fellow often bemoaned his fate, and 
when he would see his older brother take his gun 



78 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

on his shoulder and go out to hunt, he would steal 
away to his room and weep as though his heart 
would break. 

Many times he would stay in his room until his 
mother would finally have to go to him and talk 
with him until the shadows lifted from his soul. 

During these interviews his mother would say to 
him: ''Never mind, Fritz, my noble boy, your time 
to do good will come. God knows you; He sees 
you; and who knows but what God intends that 
you shall carve an image or paint a picture that 
will thrill the hearts of those who look upon the 
work and cause them to speak in praise of the 
artist. Yes, Fritz, God gives all his children an 
opportunity to do good. Be patient, then, my 
dear one, your time will surely come." 

One day little Fritz took his crutches and hobbled 
up the mountainside to where one of the beacons 
was built. 

When he arrived at the place he found that the 
sentinel left to guard the place was gone. For a 
moment Fritz looked about him, and then he said 
to himself, '' Why can't I play sentinel?" For an 
instant he remained silent and then said aloud, 
" If I can't be a great soldier, I am sure I can fire 
the beacon if necessary. " 

So suiting the action to the word, he began hob- 
bling back and forth at his post. Presently, as he 
looked far away before him to where the woods 
divided from the plain, he saw the gleam of a spear 
— yes they were spears. He could see them flash- 
ing brightly in the evening sunlight. He could see 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 79 

the line stretching far away, looking like a great 
silver river flowing through the valley. 

For some time Fritz stood watching the bright 
array, and then he hurried a little way down the 
mountainside as fast as he could, and called loudly 
for the sentinel. But no sentinel answered. Again 
and again he called, but no voice answered to the 
call. 

Something must be done. He turned and 
climbed back to the height and fired the beacon. 
In a moment the bright flames reached high 
toward Heaven, and now beacon answered beacon, 
and in a short time a hundred tongues of flame 
were proclaiming danger to the people. Just 
as the careless sentinel reached his post he saw 
little Fritz fall pierced through by a bullet from the 
gun of an Austrian scout. 

The sentinel took the boy up in his arms and 
carried him down the mountainside to his home. 
When they laid him on the bed he took his mother's 
handandsaid; " Mother, my work is done. Godhas 
at last seen fit to crown my death with a grand vic- 
tory. I have saved Switzerland.'* When he had 
spoken these words he died, and so was free from 
this sore trial here on earth. And so we see how 
little Fritz saved Switzerland, and in all probability 
it is owing to Fritz, the Httle Swiss hunchback, 
that Switzerland is what she is to-day. 

Ah, " God moves in a mysterious way His won- 
ders to perform. " When we see Him take such a 
poor, deformed creature as Httle Fritz, and use 
him for such a great work, we should go forward 
with renewed energy and hope. Remember that 



8o TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

no good the humblest of us has wrought ever dies. 
There is one long, unerring memory in the universe, 
out of which nothing dies. 

" A chill autumn wind, blowing over a sterile 
plain, bore within its arms a little seed torn with 
ruthless force from its matrix on a lofty tree, and 
dropped the seed upon the sand to perish. A 
bright-winged beetle, weary Avith flight and languid 
with the chilly air, rested for a moment on the arid 
plain. The little seed dropped -^olus served to 
satisfy the hunger of the beetle, which presently 
winged its flight to the margin of a swift-running 
stream that had sprung from the mountainside, 
and, cleaving a bed through rocks of granite, went 
gaily laughing upon its cheery way down to the 
ever-rolhng sea. 

" Sipping a drop of the crystal flood, the beetle 
crawled within a protecting ledge, and, folding its 
wings, lay down to pleasant dreams. The Ice 
King passed along and touched the insect in its 
sleep. Its mission was fulfilled; but the conflict of 
the seasons continued until the white destroyer 
melted in the breath of balmy spring. And then 
a sunbeam sped to the chink wherein the body of 
the insect lay, and searching for the little seed 
entombed, but not destroyed, invited it to " join 
the jubilee of returning life and hope." 

Under the soft wooing of the peopled ray the 
little seed began to swell with joy, tiny rootlets 
were developed within the body of the protecting 
beetle, a minute stem shot out of its gaping mouth, 
and lo! a mighty tree had been carried from the 
desert, saved from the frosts of winter, nurtured 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 8 1 

and started upon its mission of life and usefulness 
by an humble insect that had perished with the 
flowers. The agent had passed away, but, build- 
ing better than he knew, the wide-spreading tree 
remained by the margin of the life-giving stream, 
a shelter and a rest to the weary traveler upon life's 
great highway through many fretful centuries. 

A child abandoned by its mother to perish in an 
Egyptian marsh may become the instrument to 
deliver a nation from bondage, and an unosten- 
tatious man, unknown to fortune and to fame, may 
become the agent of a mighty work, destined to 
benefit the human race as long as it may last upon 
the earth. Oh! blessed reader, when discouraged, 
think of '' Little Fritz," and of the bright-winged 
beetle; then press nobly onward toward the mark 
of your high calling, and after awhile God will give 
you a crown of life. 



'A^ ilk dt^ '^ ifc" 
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ 



THE Old MAN'S NEW SONG. 



Hark, the pearly air is trembling, 

Liquid music floats along; 
Angels, in sweet joy assembling, 

Thrill the skies with heavenly song. 

— /*. G. Holland. 



THE OLD MAN'S NEW SONG. 



CHAPTER IX. 

A FEW years ago a missionary and his wife were 
driving through a desolate wood in the far South, 
en route to one of their mission posts. 

The afternoon was far spent when they came to 
a halt beside a beautiful spring of cool, sparkling 
water. All day long they had journeyed without 
food or rest, and as they had several miles yet to 
drive, they thought it prudent to allow their horse 
to rest, and also refresh themselves by partaking 
of the lunch they had brought with them. 

When they had finished their repast the lady 
went to the carriage and got her bible, then seating 
herself on a moss-covered log she began reading 
the ninety-eighth psalm: 

" O sing unto the Lord a new song, for He hath 
done marvelous things. " Here she was interrupted 
by the thick underbrush parting, and an old man 
of threescore and ten coming out close to where 
she sat. 

He was clothed in rags, and strapped on his feet 
with pieces of bark were what was once called 
shoes, but now so full of holes that they were past 
recognition; out from under the torn and slouched 
hat the long white hair fell in unkempt and matted 
locks upon his shoulders. 

85 



86 tvn'elve steps toward heaven. 

In his hands he held a strong staff, on which he 
stood leaning, looking closely at the missionary 
and his wife. The lady addressed him kindly, and 
after talking to him for a short time she learned 
that although seventy years old he knew nothing 
of Jesus, and had been to church but twice in his life. 

In all her missionary work the kind lady had 
never been more interested about the salvation of 
a soul than now, and she began at once to tax her 
mind for means whereby she could reach the dear 
old man's heart and convince him of the love Jesus 
had for him. 

For a moment she engaged in silent prayer: 
** Oh, God! Thou who hast never forsaken me in 
all the past be with me now, and give me, oh God! 
the key that will unlock the rusty door of this old 
man's heart, and Thine shall be the glory forever. 
Amen. " 

Looking up into the old man's face, she said, 
*' Dear old man, can you read?'* 

" No, I cannot read," he answered, and silently 
shook his head. 

*' Did you ever hear any one talk of Jesus? " she 
asked. 

" Yes," said he, '' many, many years ago I heard 
a lady talk about a good man she called Jesus, and 
I heard her sing the new song, and ever since that 
time it has been ringing in my ears." 

While the old man was talking, a bright thought 
came to the blessed lady: if she could only find 
out what the old man's new song was she felt sure 
that with it she could let Jesus into his soul. 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 8/ 

" Can you tell me some of the words of the song 
you heard? '* she asked. 

** No, no,'* replied the old man, mournfully. ** I 
only wish I knew them all. I would sing them 
from morning until night." 

Taking a *' Hymnal " from the carriage, the lady 
began singing one song after another, asking the 
old man if he recognized the new song; but he only 
shook his head; evidently he had not heard his 
beautiful song yet. 

The patient lady had almost given up all hope of 
finding the song, when she commenced singing, 
"Rock of ages cleft for me." Instantly the old 
man's face lightened up, and he exclaimed, " That's 
it! O you have found my new song. I am so 
glad, so glad." 

For a moment the lady was so amused to think 
of such an old song being called new, that she 
could hardly refrain from laughing. Several times 
she sang the song over, while the old man bowed 
his head on his staff and wept for joy. 

When she ceased singing, the old man raised his 
wrinkled, tear-stained face and said: " Dearest lady, 
take your pencil and mark the new song, and give 
it to me; then, although I cannot read a single line, 
I can turn to the page and remember how grand it 
was when by this old spring I heard your sweet 
voice filling the gloomy forest with melody." 

She granted him his request; and just as the sun 
was disappearing behind the distant hill-tops, 
throwing his bright, glittering rays aslant through 
the tall pines, covered with climbing vines, the trio 
knelt in prayer. 



88 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

As the voice of that dear woman ascended to 
Heaven, there was a hushed silence all around; the 
birds ceased their merry warbling, as if listening 
to that voice so full of pathos; a dove perched on a 
limb directly over the kneeling group, caught the 
words of the prayer and sent them to her mate in 
accents low, who answered back, " Here, love; 
here, love.'* 

Even the spring sparkled brighter than ever, and 
went hurriedly on its way, bearing on its bosom the 
words of that earnest prayer of thankfulness. 

In the court of Heaven a solemn hush slept 
undisturbed. A deep, mysterious and awful calm. 
Through the spirit world on noiseless wings, swept 
host on host of white-robed angels. God, the 
Father, sat on the great white throne. Jesus stood 
at His right hand, His face wearing the same patient 
smile it wore when He stretched Himself upon the 
cross to die for a world lost in sin. 

The angels stood motionless, looking over the 
battlements of Heaven at the scene below. When 
the prayer was ended, three angels, Pity, Love and 
Mercy, spread their snowy wings, and after hover- 
ing for a moment over the throne, commenced 
singing, " Rock of ages, cleft for me. " 

Instantly it was taken up by every voice in the 

realm, and sent rolling through the streets of the 

beautiful city. 

# ^ # # • # # 

Bidding the old man good-by, the missionary 
and his wife stepped into their carriage and drove 
away. When a long way off they looked back, 
and there, among the deepening shadows stood the 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 89 

old man, now a child of Jesus, looking at the new 

song. 

*•• # # # - # # # 

In Heaven, that realm where the rainbow never 
fades, where the stars spread out like the islands 
that slumber on the ocean, the old man now sings 
his new song and patiently waits for the coming of 
that dear one who sang to him beside the woodland 
spring, making his heart so glad that bright sum- 
mer evening in the long ago. 



THE HERMITS STORY. 



Wine has drowned more than the sea. 

— Publius Syrus. 

Wine IS like anger, for it makes us strong, 

Blind and impatient, and it leads wrong. 

The strength is quickly lost, we feel the error long. 

— Crabhe^ 



THE HERMITS STORY. 



CHAPTER X. 

While traveling in the West several years ago, 
I chanced, on one occasion, to come upon a little 
hut nestled at the foot of a mountain. The only 
occupant of this hut was an old man whose head 
was silvered over w^ith the frosts of many winters. 
At the time I speak of, I was lost and had been 
wandering about in the mountains several days. 

After I had succeeded in making my pony com- 
fortable for the night, I follov/ed my host into the 
hut. 

A gun and dog, an old table and some deer skins 
piled on the stone floor, completed the contents of 
the humble dwelling. 

Completed, did I say? Yes, but not so, for on 
the rude wall there hung the picture of a lovely 
young girl. Lovely, did I say? Ah! I have never 
seen a fairer face. To-day as I write, I can see 
those beautiful blue eyes; eyes that seemed to look 
into the depths of my soul; and that face, pale but 
patient, trustful and loving, and although lines of 
sorrow were visible about her mouth, yet she was 
beautiful; and the golden curls that clustered about 
her fair and gentle brow made her look like an 
angel. In fact, her face was one which when seen 
could never be forgotten. But to my story. The 

93 



94 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

old man hastily prepared my supper and I went to 
eating, for I was very hungry, having had nothing 
to eat for several days but dried venison and hard 
bread 

After I had finished my repast, and engaged the 
old man in conversation he related the following 
story. *' Young man, do you see that picture? 
(pointing to the one I have described.) That is all 
I have to remind me of an only daughter who is now 
in Heaven, sent there by my own hand. Several 
years ago," he continued, " I lived in a small town 
in the Eastern States with my daughter Nettie, my 
wife having died when Nettie was quite small. I 
became addicted to strong drink, and as Nettie 
grew to womanhood I became more and more a 
drunkard. Poor child, it nearly broke her heart to 
see me sinking lower and lower each day, but she 
bore up bravely under it all, and would often go to 
the little church that stood close by and pray hour 
after hour for her poor, misguided father. Time 
and again she would come and on bended knees 
plead earnestly with me, but to no purpose, for I 
would curse her and thrust her from me. Oh, 
God! how my heart yearns for her to-night. 

** Could I but take her in my arms once more and 
hear her say: * Father, dearest father, I forgive 
you.' oh, how happy I w^ould be! But alas! 
alas! that can never be, for she is gone — gone — 
and forever. I went from bad to worse, and one 
day when I had been drinking more than usual, 
Nettie met me at the door with outstretched arms 
and tearful eyes, and I — I, oh, God! how I trem- 
ble as I think of it — I dealt her a blow that laid 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 95 

her at my feet a corpse. After that I knew no 
more; when I awoke I found that kind friends had 
been busy, and my darhng Nettie was ready to go 
to her last resting place. Every one was her friend, 
and from all around people came flocking in to 
take a last look at my dear Nettie. 

** Along the crowded path they bore her, pure as 
the newly-fallen snow that covered it, and the old 
church received her in its quiet shade. They car- 
ried her to one old nook where she had many and 
many a time sat musing and praying for me, and 
laid their burden softly on the pavement; the light 
streamed on it through the colored window, a win- 
dow where the boughs of trees were rustling in the 
breeze and where birds sang sweetly all day long. 
With every breath of air that stirred among the 
branches in the sunshine, some trembling, chang- 
ing light, would fall upon the grave, 

" On her fair face there was no trace of earthly 
cares; her sufferings and fatigues were all gone, 
and peace and perfect happiness were borne to 
here Stern remorse came upon me and I fled to 
the mountains, where I have been ever since. 

'' And during the bitter years that have passed I 
have never ceased pleading with my God for for- 
giveness, and, my friend, as I grow older I feel that 
He has heard my prayer, and that I will be per- 
mitted to meet my Nettie in Heaven's fair city 
above; yes, I feel that God has forgiven me.'' 

When the poor old hermit finished his story he 
was crying bitterly. For some time all was still; 
no sound to break the silence save the distant bark 



96 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

of a coyote and the sobs that came from the 
broken-hearted old man. 

Finally he wiped the tears away and continued: 
" Young man, allow me to give you a few words of 
advice. Far away to the Northwest, you can see 
from my cabin door. Mount Hood. As one ap- 
proaches this wonderful monument of nature — 
covered with the snow and ice of centuries — their 
pathway lies among beautiful flowers whose fra- 
grance fills the air with sweet perfumes. Birds flit 
from bush to bush, chirping glad songs to their 
Maker, flowers sending out delightful odor, and 
old ocean wafting his bracing breeze, all combined 
makes me feel as though they were in an earthly 
paradise. As you continue the ascent the verdure 
gradually changes. 

*' The flowers are stunted and not bright like the 
ones below. The birds are but few in number, and 
are not so merry as those you saw among the beau- 
tiful flowers farther down. As you climb higher 
and higher, you find that the flowers and birds have 
disappeared, and vegetation of all kinds seems sud- 
denly to have gone out of existence. 

" On you go, wending your way through drifts of 
snow, every step attended with great danger, until 
at last you can go no farther, for the air is so cold 
that it almost freezes your lungs to breathe it. 

" Directly in front of you are crevices in the ice. 
One false step and you would be precipitated into 
the yawning abyss below. From this tour on the 
mountain learn this moral, and let it sink deep into 
your heart. 

*' While you live in holiness, while you live and 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 97 

let live, trying at all times to do what is right, 
building for yourself a character that will not be 
destroyed by the storms of life, you are in the land 
of flowers. On the other hand, if you join the 
society of the wicked, and turn a deaf ear to all 
morality, then you are in a cold and barren world, 
with the snow and ice about you and the waves of 
adversity ready to sweep over you. Young man, 
live among the flowers. Do not give up home for 
the saloon and card table. Lay aside all foul and 
obscene books, for they are written for the express 
purpose of demoralizing morality. Above all things, 
let accursed liquor alone, and fight against it con- 
tinually, and if you are ever tempted to partake of 
the vile stuff, just stop and think of the old man in 
the mountains, and let it alone — let it alone." 

I left the old man to his solitude, and went my 
way. Many changes have taken place since then, 
but I have never forgotten the old hermit's story. 

Young man, are you to-day wandering away 
from God? If so, think of the old mountain her- 
mit, and learn a lesson from his fearful suffering. It 
may be you have a kind, loving mother that sits at 
home and prays for you. Can you not see that 
you are breaking her heart and hurrying her from 
earth by your waywardness? Ah! as you stand at 
the bar holding a glass of liquor in your hand, con- 
sider which is best: to give up position, honor, 
home, mother, heaven, God and life eternal, or the 
cursed poison before you. Ponder these things 
well, and remember that there is but one certain 
thing in your life, and that is you must lose it. 



WHAT IS MAN? 



" A holy mystery. A part of earth — a part of Heaven. A part, 
great God of Thee. " 

" Human flesh can be pierced through with the sword or with the 
dagger; but no material blade can be brought into contact with the 
human self. " 

" Man's form can be perforated with the missiles of fire-lock 
weapons; but no projectile, whether of lead or of iron, whether 
driven by gunpowder force or by any other force, can be made to 
enter man's spirit." 



99 



W^HAT IS MAN? 



CHAPTER XI. 

** How poor, how rich, how abject, how august, 
How complicat'^ how wonderful is man ! " 

— Young. 

** Every man, in every condition, is great. It 
is only our diseased sight which makes him little. 
A man is great as a man, be he where or what he 
may. The grandeur of his nature turns to insig- 
nificance all outward distinctions. His powers of 
intellect, of conscience, of love, of knowing God, 
of perceiving the beautiful, of acting on his own 
mind, on outward nature, and on his fellow-creat- 
ures — these are glorious prerogatives." 

Man is a human being, distinguished from all 
other animals by the powers of speech and reason, 
as wxU as by his shape and dignified aspect. Man 
is a being created by an all-wise God for a special 
purpose. 

At the presen. time there is extant in our own 
beautiful land a great deal of skepticism, which in 
theology is a doubting of the truth of revelation, or 
a denial of the divine origin of the Christian religion, 
or of the being, perfections, or truth of God. On 
every hand we hear persons proclaiming the 
absurdity of a doctrine which teaches us that there 
is a glorious future where the blood-washed soul of 



I02 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

man will reign with its Maker forever and forever. 
** Let no despondency, or timidity, or secret 
skepticism, lead any one to doubt whether this 
blessed prospect will be realized." 

There are people in the world who oppose every 
good move that is made; who would, if they had 
the power, hang the Heavens about with crape; 
throw a shroud over the beautiful and life-giving 
bosom of the planet; pick the bright stars from the 
sky; veil the sun in clouds; pluck the silver moon 
from her place in the firmament; shut up the 
gardens and fields, and all the flowers with which 
they are bedecked, and doom the world to an 
atmosphere of gloom and cheerlessness. There is 
no reason or morality in this, and there is still less 
religion. 

But, from the birth of Christ to the present, there 
has never been a time when such persons could not 
be found, and as Christ was repeatedly told to His 
face, that He was a cheat and a fraud and a fearful 
impostor, it is not strange that we find people in 
this day and age denying the Bible and its precious 
promises. 

Thanks be to God, however, all the bitter invect- 
ives that have ever been launched against the 
Christian religion have come to naught; while on 
the other hand the Church has pushed onward and 
upward, surmounting all obstacles, until now every 
civilized land in the world feels its influence, and 
stands ready to testify for Christ. 

The very thought of making a failure in life 
strikes terror to the heart of every reasonable crea- 
ture. Every true man desires above everything 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 103 

else to make life a success. Is it not strange, 
therefore, with the history of the world before us 
to lead, guide and direct us, that so many persons 
are failures in life? 

Strange! No, not strange when we think of the 
cause to which all failures are attributable, namely, 
relying on ourselves. 

When the book called ** The Age of Reason '^ 
came out, its author thought that he stood on the 
top round of the ladder of fame. He thought that 
he had given to the world a work that would make 
him famous throughout the world. Again, when 
IngersoU put forth his work entitled, '' The Mistakes 
of Moses," he thought he had accomplished a great 
work; but, I fancy, if he could but have realized 
that by writing that work — and similar ones — he 
had not only shut himself out of the promised 
land, but had also lost his last opportunity of even 
viewing it, he would have been filled with woe 
instead of joy. 

Famous such men indeed become, but it is a 
fame like that which Saul enjoyed, as he went forth 
on his journey to Damascus, bent on slaughtering 
the innocents. 

But, as Saul fell under the powerful light which 
shone round about him, even so will the works of 
every infidel fall and crumble away when such a 
light as that which emanates from a book called 
" Ben Hur '' falls upon them. 

Ingersoirs book is a failure because it is founded 
on the ever-shifting sands of waste and denial. 
Lew Wallace's book is a success because it is 
founded on Christ. 



104 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

The former lowers us in our own estimation, and 
endeavors to rob us of all the bright hopes we 
entertain for the future. 

The study of " Ben Hur " tends to raise our 
minds to the Supreme Ruler of all worlds — to 
expand our views of His infinite knowledge and 
wisdom — to excite our gratitude and our admira- 
tion of the beneficent designs which appear in all 
His arrangements — to guard us against erroneous 
conceptions of His providential procedure — in 
fact, '* Ben Hur *' must always be interesting to 
every person who wishes to enlarge his intellectual 
views, and to make progress in the knowledge of 
God. I can say of the author of*' Ben Hur," '' his 
pen is mightier than his sword." 

From the time of creation until the present, there 
has existed in the great throbbing heart of human- 
ity a feeling like that of the Psalmist, when he 
wrote: *' As the hart pantethafterthe water brooks, 
so panteth my soul after Thee, O God! " In the 
eighth psalm, we read where David went forth and 
looked into the firmament, where he beheld, in all 
their glorious splendor, the twinkling stars. As he 
gazed on the beautiful scene spread before him, he 
was deeply moved, and gave vent to his feelings in 
these words: " When I consider Thy heavens, the 
work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars which 
Thou hast ordained, what is man, that Thou art 
mindful of him? and the son of man, that Thou 
visitest him? " 

There can be no doubt but what David realized 
that he was, in some way, closely connected with 
God. and, to a certain extent, had some idea of the 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. IO5 

magnitude of God's universe. Yet how very dif- 
ferent the same stars appear to us to-day when 
viewed by the light of science? 

At the time David went forth to lOok at the 
heavens, he saw" the same number of stars that we 
can see on a clear night with the naked eye, viz., 
twenty-seven hundred. But with the aid of pow- 
erful instruments, we find that a survey of the 
heavens reveals the fact that there are five thousand 
million worlds, each many thousand times larger 
than ours. 

By means of the telescope, we have found hang- 
ing on the rim of these planets thick clouds, dimly 
outlined with stars; and no doubt, if we could invent 
an instrument two thousand times greater than our 
present one, we would ascertain the fact that there 
are five billion worlds greater than ours. By the help 
of the telescope, combined with the art of measur- 
ing the distances and magnitude of the heavenly 
bodies, our views of the grandeur of the Almighty, 
of the plenitude of His power, and of the extent of 
His universal empire are extended far beyond what 
could have been conceived in former ages. We 
can now plainly perceive that the kingdom of God 
is not only " an everlasting dominion," but that it 
extends through the unlimited regions of space, 
comprehending within its vast circumference thous- 
ands of suns and ten thousands of worlds, all 
ranged in majestic order, at immense distances 
from one another, and all supported and governed 
by Him who rides on the Heaven of heavens, 
whose greatness is unsearchable, and whose under- 
standing is infinite. 



I06 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

This instrument may, therefore, be considered as 
a providential gift bestowed upon mankind, to serve 
in the meantime as a temporary substitute for those 
powers of rapid flight with which the seraphim are 
endowed, and for those superior faculties of motion 
with which man himself may be invested, when he 
arrives at the summit of moral perfection. 

As we meditate upon such wonderful works, a 
secret longing takes possession of our souls to come 
into closer relationship with the Creator. We long 
to behold Him; but He is invisible, and, in all 
probabiHty, will remain so through all the coming 
ages, for it is one of God's great plans to remain 
invisible. And, in this respect, God is like the man 
of which we are writing, for he, too, is invisible. 

All we ever see of man is his actions. We can- 
not see a man's thought, but we can see the work 
of thought, and from this we judge of what man's 
thought is. 

To make this plain, I will illustrate. 

*I see a man go into a great pine forest in Maine; 
on his shoulder he carries an ax. I know by this 
that he intends chopping some timber. I have, 
therefore, by this outward action of the invisible, 
found out so much of the man's thought. I follow 
him into the forest and see him stop before a pine 
tree. After surveying it from top to bottom, he 
commences chopping into the trunk and continues 
until the great tree falls. Then he measures along 
the body of the tree with the two-foot rule marked 
on his ax-handle until he measures eighty feet. 
Then he cuts the log off, and goes away. Now, I 

*The illustration is taken from a sermon delivered by Bishop Foster. 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 10/ 

know so much of the man's thought, but, I say, 
why was this ? Why did he cut the beautiful tree 
down and leave it lying there on the ground ? If I 
was to leave the scene now I w^ould never know 
why it was done, or what great work the man had 
in his mind. 

I wait a few days and I see two strange men 
come w^ith a team of oxen and drag the log to the 
river bank; then they turn and go away. Now, I 
say, I know what was in the man's mind when he 
entered the forest with his axe; but I can see no 
sense in leaving the log there on the river bank. 

I w^ait and in a few days men come and roll the 
log into the river, and make it fast to some other 
logs that are there, and then they get on the raft 
thus formed and drift down the stream until they 
come to a saw-mill. Here they tie the raft and go 
away. 

The next day a skilled workman hoists the log 
onto a car which carries it to a large saw that 
begins cutting into it. When this man finishes his 
work, I cannot see my log. It has now become a 
square piece of timber. I know now w^hat the 
man's thought was when he carried his ax into the 
great pine forest. But why was the tree cut ? I 
can see no use in doing the work whatever. 

If I was taken from the scene now, I would never 
know all the man's thought, I wait a few days, 
and men cpme and take the piece of timber and lay 
it on the ground near the river, and then place other 
queer-shaped pieces with it. Men from foreign 
lands come and put pieces of iron and brass in the 
frame now going up. The work continues, and the 



I08 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

queer-shaped mass begins assuming symmetry, form 
and beauty. Finally, one day a great many men 
come and take the blocks away from the huge 
structure, and when the word is given, it floats 
out into the Penobscot River, and after dipping her 
bow deep in the water, sails away, a great ship that 
is to carry precious souls and glad tidings across 
the ocean, from one continent to another, through- 
out the entire world. 

Now we have the man's thought complete. It 
was in his mind from the very first to build a ship. 
God is invisible. No man hath ever gazed upon 
Him. Christ came out of the bosom of God, His 
exponent. 

The outw^ard form of man is only a shell, an 
instrument given by God to do the will of the 
mind and invisible man. 

To prove this assertion I quote from H. Cor. V. 
chap., I verse: " For we know that if our earthly 
house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a 
building of God, an house not made with hands 
eternal in the heavens." In our journey through 
life how often we come in contact with persons who 
think they are divinely beautiful, and who think 
only of their outward form. 

Ah, how very foolish for us to pride ourselves 
on our beauty, for if this was one of the great 
essentials there are many things w^e could find 
that far surpass us in point of beauty. The horse 
with flowing mane, proudly-arched neck and di- 
lated nostril, prancing over the green sward, is so 
far ahead of us in beauty that there is no compari- 
son. My dear reader, it is our invisible man which 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. IO9 

we should treasure and guard. This outward cov- 
ering will return to dust shortly, but the man, the 
inner substance, will live on and on forever. We 
have spoken of man's thought, and in order to come 
to an understanding of the subject in hand, it will 
be necessary to talk awhile about God's thought. 

Far back in the distant eternities Man was in 
God's thought. Go with me back to the time when 
the world was not, when there was nothing but a great 
abysm of empty space. God commences his wonder- 
ful work. Great masses are rolled together in globes 
or balls. A thousand years pass away, and then a 
heavy vapor comes over all, hanging like great fes- 
toons around the yet imperfect world. Thousands 
of years passed aw^ay and great heat fell upon the 
masses and they melted and settled to a hard, level 
plain. 

Then after waiting a million years, for mind God 
was in no hurry to finish His work, an atmosphere 
begins to pervade the universe. Springs, rivers, 
rivulets, lakes and oceans commence flowing, 
carving hills, mountains and valleys out of the 
great mass. Now I can see what God had in His 
mind when He began His work. But w^hy did He 
do this? I can't see that it is any better than to 
have left it as it was. 

But I wait a thousand years and I see a green 
mantle springing up over the earth, and plants in 
rich profusion spread their leaves. 

When I see this I say I know what all of God's 
work was for; He just made the great, rough earth 
for the grass to grow^ on. But w^hat did He do this 
for? I can see no use in it. 



no TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

But I wait for a time and presently I see beauti- 
ful birds flitting to and fro. I cry out with rapture, 
and say, " Oh, I know now what the earth, rivers, 
lakes, foliage and all other things were created for. 
It was all done for the pretty birds." But again 
I say, why are the birds here? Of what use are 
they? 

I wait patiently, and when I look about me again 
I see that the waters are full of movement; tiny 
fish are sporting in the brooks, and great whales 
are spouting from the ocean's depth. Huge beasts 
come out and graze on the rich herbage along the 
lofty hills. And now I thmk I know vvhat was in 
God's mind when He first rolled together the great 
masses out of which the earth was formed. 

I look upon the scene, and although it is very 
beautiful and grand, I cannot yet see the intent or 
purpose of it. Why has God done this? Not 
being fully satisfied, I wait patiently for something 
nev/ to develop, and one morning across the mount- 
ains the '' sun came wading through reddish vapors, 
and, soft and silver-white, outspread the broad ocean, 
without a ripple upon its surface, or visible motion 
of the ever-moving current; all was silent, and 
calm, and beautiful." 

Amidst this lovely scene the Creator commences 
a work different from all other things heretofore 
created. 

Finally the work is completed. The object seems 
perfect in every part, yet it seems to be the most 
useless thing in existence. Only a machine stand- 
ing still — a dead organization — an apparatus. To 
put the object in a state of activity, to set it at 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. Ill 

work, a further provision is necessary. After view- 
ing the work for a moment, God breathed the 
breath of Hfe into its nostrils and it (man) became 
a living soul. 

Do you ask what this last object of creation is? 
I answer, it is man — God's own child. Yes, it is a 
human spirit. After looking about it for awhile in 
wonder and amazement, the new creature lifts its 
eyes toward Heaven and cries out with a loud voice, 
'' Father! Father! Oh, my blessed Father! '' 

We have now found out what God's thought was. 
Aye, a thousand million years before the creation 
of the earth, man was in God's thought. But, says 
one, you have not yet given me to understand what 
man is. Bear with me patiently for a while longer 
and I will tell you. 

** To-day in one of our homes a mother strug- 
gles, suffers untold agony, and a child is born. You 
look at the child and see nothing apparently but a 
mass of quivering flesh! If the child Hves, it will 
grow. When two years of age it will weigh twenty 
pounds; when fifteen, seventy-five; and finally one 
hundred and fifty. 

Go look at the babe when it is three weeks old; 
it is not the same creature it was when first you 
saw it. 

It opens its eyes and looks up into your face, 
reminding you of an interrogation point more than 
anything else, for it seems to say, " Who are you, 
and what do you want? " 

You go away, and return again in four months. 
Another change has taken place, and the babe you 
see now is not the one you saw before. It reaches 



112 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

up and puts its tiny little hand lovingly on the 
mother's cheek, and smiles. Ah, an angel has 
come, and Love now fills every fiber of its soul. 
It grows, and now we see it in the capacity of a 
school-boy, loaded down with geographies, gram- 
mars, arithmetics, etc., working, battling, pushing 
and struggling for a place in life. 

Again we behold him and he is a man; he does 
for himself, he thinks for himself and gets the food 
with which to feed him and his. Just at this point 
let us look for a moment at man's work and see 
what he has done for the world, toward beautify- 
ing it. 

Man has created a world in a world. How bar- 
ren and lonesome this world would be to us if all 
that man has done for it was suddenly swept away. 
In the bowels of the earth God hid the iron, copper, 
lead, silver and gold. Man has found all these 
substances and applied them to useful purposes in 
social life, thereby adding to and greatly enhancing 
the beauty of earth. 

It is man's thought that has brought this about. 
But this thinker in man! What is it ? I take a 
chisel in my hand and commence to carve the rough 
stone. I carve here and now I say to my hand, 
" Carve there!" Instantly the member does the 
bidding of my thinker. 

I take up my pen to write, but it remains dumb 
in my hands. Presently my thinker tells it to write; 
instantly it writes. I tell it to cease; it ceases at 
once. Oh, how wonderful are the ways of God. 

Ah, my dear reader, again I say this outward 
form is not man. It is simply a shell given for the 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. I 13 

use of the man who lives within, where no eye 
except God's can penetrate. If you are making an 
idol of your body you are wasting precious time. 
Time far more precious than tongue can tell, for it 
must perish; it will return to dust; but the true 
man, the inner man, the man that is destined to live 
forever and forever. Oh, in the name of a crucified 
Savior, I plead with you to neglect Him not — 
neglect Him not. 

But let us return again to the babe, now grown 
to man's estate. He lives until he reaches the ripe 
age of sixty years and then, all crooked and lame 
and halt and blind, he dies. 

Oh ! how very loathesome he becomes. His 
dearest friends hurry and make ready to put him 
in the ground, because he is repulsive to their 
sight. As he is lowered into the grave dear friends 
gather around and weep over his remains. But 
they are shedding tears over what is now an imag- 
inary object; for the man, the invisible man, the 
inner man, the thinker, the soul, is now winging its 
way upward, and the tears of loved ones left behind 
do but fall on worthless clay. 

As the mourners turn away from the grave I look 
again toward the immortal man as he wings his 
way through space, rejoicing because his immortal 
soul has been cut loose by the great scissors of 
death, from the earth, earthy. I continue to watch 
him and after the lapse of a thousand years I still 
see him going, going, higher and higher, until fin- 
ally he is lost to view in the halo of beauty and 
glory which surrounds him in the midst of Heaven. 

Eternity! Eternity! Aye, David, I shout it to 



114 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

you. This, ah, this is what man is. Viewing man 
from this standpoint, *' why add to the miseries of 
life by brooding over death ? Is life to any of us 
such unmixed pleasure, even while it lasts? Why, 
then, call it wretched, even if we die before our 
natural time? Nature has lent us life, without fix- 
ing the day of payment, and uncertainty is one of 
the conditions of its tenure. Compare our longest 
life with eternity and it is as short-lived as that of 
those ephemeral insects whose life is measured by 
a summer day, and who, when the sun sets, have 
reached old age." 

Let us, therefore, base our happiness on strength 
of mind, on contempt of earthly pleasures, and on 
the strict observance of virtue. 

Finally, after saying all we can about man, the 
whole subject terminates in this one solid truth — 
Majt is an hnmortal being. 

The great Shakespeare makes his soliloquizing 
Hamlet say: " What a piece of work is man! How 
noble in reason! how infinite in faculty! in form, in 
moving, how express and admirable! in action, 
how like an angel! in apprehension, how like a god! 
the beauty of the world! the paragon of animals! " 
Novalis, getting bright glimpses of the soul, de- 
clares: 

'' Man is the higher sense of our planet, the star 
which connects it with the upper world, the eye 
which it turns toward Heaven." Bushnell, looking 
thoughtfully down into the soul, breaks forth in 
the words; 

" O this great and mighty soul! were it some- 
thing less, you might find what to do with it; 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. II5 

charm it with the jingle of a golden toy, house it 
in a safe with ledgers and stocks, take it about on 
journeys to see and be seen! Anything would 
please it and bring it content. But it is the God- 
like soul, capable of rest in nothing but God; able 
to be filled and satisfied with nothing but His 
fullness and the confidence of His friendship! " 

Man is immortal, and immortality implies un 
ending personal existence. Nay, more, it implies 
unending personal identity. Nay, more, it implies 
the eternal onward rolling of a personal life-stream, 
to which every mental capability shall forever be a 
tributary, and wherein thoughts, feelings and voli- 
tions shall forever merge. Immortality! O what 
a wonderful depth of meaning there is in this 
belief ! 

" So live that when thy summons comes to join 
The innumerable caravan that moves 
To that mysterious realm, where each shall take 
His chamber in the silent halls of death, 
Thou go not, like the quarry slave at night, 
Scourged to his dungeon; but sustained and soothed 
By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave. 
Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch 
About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams. " 






THE SOUL, AND ITS VALUE. 



A healthy body is good; but a soul in right health — it is the 
thing beyond all others to be prayed for; the blessedest thing this 
earth receives of Heaven. 

— Carlyle. 



Time is the life of the soul. 



-Longfellow, 



THE SOUL, AHD ITS V/LUE. 



CHAPTER XII. 

There is no topic more gravely important than 
that of the soul's value. 

** For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain 
the whole world and lose his own soul." These 
words were spoken by One who — although very 
rich — laid aside His robes of Diety and came to 
earth for the purpose of redeeming man's mortal 
crime. 

He spoke to the people gathered about Him of 
profit. A word full of deep meaning, and one that 
has been in use since the foundation of the world. 
But to-day the word profit signifies more than 
ever before in the world's history. When a person 
of this day and age wishes to embark in business 
of any kind, his first question is, '' Will it pay? " 

The farmer — if he is enterprising — looks over 
his fields of wheat, corn and hay, then figures the 
amount of his profit. 

The architect, before he bids on a building of any 
kind, first figures the cost and ascertains what his 
profit will be when the building is completed. In 
fact, men in every avocation of life seek a profit 
— a remuneration for their labor and skill. 

Man also seeks to make himself safe. If he wishes 

119 



120 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

to purchase a farm he goes to the county records 
and ascertains whether or not there are any mort- 
gages resting on it. If he finds that he cannot 
procure a clear title to the land he turns away and 
looks elsewhere. 

A man goes to work and builds a magnificent 
residence. When it is completed in every particu- 
lar, he looks upon it with pride, and his face lights 
up with a pleasant smile as he thinks how glorious 
it will be to spend the remaining years of his life in 
such a pleasant home. While sitting in his easy 
chair — some weeks after taking up his abode in 
the new dwelling — engaged in silent thought, a 
wonderful revelation suddenly dawns upon him. 

He springs to his feet and walks the floor in an 
excited manner; all the contentment that was his 
but a moment ago has flown, and he finds that he 
has suddenly been transformed from a quiet, con- 
tented, easy-going man into a restless, uneasy, 
agitated creature, and why? Because all at once 
the fearful thought of fire and its dreadful ravages 
has occurred to him. 

His beautiful house is unprotected; it is exposed 
to fire from below and to the thunderbolt from 
above. What does he do? He neither eats nor 
sleeps until he holds in his hand an insurance policy. 
Then his former contentment returns, for he knows 
f his house burns he will be able to rebuild. 

Precaution in temporal things is right and proper, 
but the thought is a sad one when we think of the 
vast number of persons who are so careful of their 
earthly possessions and yet are so careless and 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 121 

unconcerned about the only imperishable thing in 
the universe, i, e,, the souL 

Oh! blessed reader, if you have never taken out 
a policy on your soul, do so at once, for the value 
of such a policy is ijicalculable. And now let us 
for a moment look at the soul's nature. In this 
connection I will mention the opinions of some of 
the philosophers of antiquity, some of the profound 
inquirers of modern past centuries, and some of the 
exploring thinkers of the passing age. 

Anaximander represented the soul as a compound 
of earth and water. 

Crates asserted that it is only a natural stirring of 
the body. Zeno averred that it seemed to him to 
be fire. 

The Chaldean philosophers affirmed it to be a 
vital habit of the human frame. Hippocrates 
claimed that it is a spirit diffused throughout the 
body. Socrates believed the soul to be that which 
moves the body, and is the man's self. 

Saint Austin called it a self-moving spiritual 
substance. According to Spinoza, the soul is a 
modification of thought, and thought is one of the 
infinite attributes of Deity. 

According to " orthodox " interpreters of Gen- 
esis, ii. 7, fromEusebius to Dean Patrick, the soul 
is an intelhgent substance, which bears a resemb- 
lance to the divine substance. It has the body for 
its earthly covering, and is linked to the body by 
that powerful bond, the vital breath. We will now 
glance at opinions of the soul's nature which have 
been set forth recently. 

Lewes says: " The soul is an entity which, before 



122 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

it began its present life, had somewhere lived, 
somewhere exercised intelligent power, somewhere 
been conscious of experience/' 

Frederick Harrison: " The soul is a name for the 
combined faculties of the living human organism/' 

I have now given you the opinions of a great 
many learned men in regard to the souFs nature, 
and although there are no two opinions worded 
alike, yet we find that in substance and meaning 
they are all very near together. Every argument 
advanced finally ends in this one fixed fact: The 
soul is the God part of man, 

" The measure of what we can know about the 
soul is, in all probability, very small in comparison 
with the measure of what we cannot know about it; 
certain it is, however, that just in proportion to the 
increase of our knowledge of the soul, in that pro- 
portion will our definition of it become more and 
more comprehensive." 

Suffice it to say that God has planted in every 
human body a part of His own great self, which we 
will call a soul. Now, as adventurers for another 
world, it behooves us to be very careful how we 
handle the God-given soul within us. It is our 
business to reprint the image of God on the soul; 
and he who neglects to do so will have but one 
time in which to regret it; and that will be through- 
out eternity. 

A few months ago I listened to a man as he 
recounted to me his wonderful possessions. Said 
he; *' I have here in one body, all under fence, 
fifty thousand acres. Inside this pasture I have at 
present ten thousand head of cattle; and scattered 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 123 

about over the balance of my land I have fifty 
thousand head of sheep and eight hundred head of 
Angora goats. " As I looked at the man of wealth 
I thought what a poor, deluded wretch he was; 
claiming so much, when, in the true sense, nothing 
was his. Rich he was in this world, but what a 
pauper he will be in the world to come. 

We know not what minute God will call us to 
account. To-day the rich man says; '' I must tear 
down my barns and build greater; '' but before the 
morrow's sun tinges the eastern horizon with mellow 
light, God demands of him his soul. When I see 
people gathering wealth about them, with no 
thought whatever of a hereafter, I am reminded of 
the poor fellow who went into the forest one cold, 
winter day for wood. He piled a great heap 
together, and then tried to lift it, but it was too 
heavy; he could not move it. Then he piled on 
more and more, until the pile grew to wonderful 
dimensions. Finally he became so cold and numb 
he could work no more. He then laid down beside 
the great heap and died. 

What shall it profit us if we gain the whole world 
and lose our soul? 

Let the history of such men as Caesar and 
Napoleon answer the question. 

Caesar, the great and mighty, returned to Rome 
after the battle of Munda and enjoyed one year of 
magnificent splendor and regal power in Rome. 
Finally, however, he was struck to death by Brutus, 
Cassius and the other conspirators, and fell at the 
foot of Pompey's statue. 

" Then burst his mighty heart; 
And in his mantle muffling up his face 



124 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

Even at the base of Pompey's statue, 

Which all the while ran blood, great Caesar fell. " 

Napoleon cried out when the stygian daricness 
enveloped him; *' Surely Christ must have been 
more than mortal, for His kingdom stands firm and 
immovable. I have built to no purpose; I fought 
for Napoleon; I built and tore down for Napoleon, 
and now, alas! alas! where is my profit? There is 
none for me." 

Such are the cries that are continually rising to 
the throne from mortals that have neglected their 
souls. A few years ago a dreadful cyclone passed 

through the village of . After quiet was 

restored, a w^oman in a dying condition was picked 
up in the street. Kind hands carried her into a 
house, and loving words were spoken to her by 
pitying friends. But the suffering woman heeded 
them not; her one wild cry was: '' O Lord have 
mercy! '' 

A minister was called, and to him she constantly 
pleaded: " O pray for my soul! " At short inter- 
vals she would cry out: " My Savior, O, my Savior, 
have mercy on my soul! '' Thus she raved until 
midnight, when she died. 

All the years of her Hfe had been spent in sin. 
No thought of her soul ever entered her mind, until 
that dark hour came, and then she knew and fully 
comprehended how valuable her soul was. 

Death is not a pleasant thing to think about; yet 
we are born to die, and it is our duty to meet deatU 
bravely as possible. Certain it is, if we have our 
souls in proper trim there is nothing to be afraid of. 

Listen a moment. Hush! Hear you not that 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 125 

rumbling noise? It is the thundering from the 
chariot wheels of time as they roll along the river 
of death, bearing into eternity souls that are this 
moment leaving us. Eternity, eternity! how vast 
thou art! 

If all the oceans, lakes, seas, gulfs, rivers, springs^, 
and rivulets in the world were converted into ink; 
and all the gold, silver, copper, brass, iron and 
every other mineral in existence was made inta 
pens with which to write up the ink, when the last 
drop of ink was exhausted eternity would not yet 
have begun. Eternity! Eternity! Eternity! 

Says one: *' I do not believe this world will be 
destroyed by fire." Such persons argue that the 
earth being three-fourths water, such a thing as 
annihilation by fire would be impossible. How 
foolish such persons are. Water is composed of 
two gases, which, when separated, are quick to burn. 
How very easy it will be, then, for God to separate 
these gases, and in a moment's time wrap this beau- 
tiful world of ours in one vast fiery flame. 

The divine power exhibited almost every day is 
enough to convince the most skeptical that the 
only real profit in life is the saving of the soul. In 
1794 the volcano Vesuvius sent forth a fountain of 
bright fire, attended by black smoke and muttering; 
thunder. In a short time sixteen fiery streams,, 
extending downward for a mile and a half, were 
running from the blazing crater. The sound of the 
burning mountain^ was like the roarmg of the ocean 
during a violent storm. In the eruption of Etna ia 
1669 the stream of boiling, seething fire destroyed 
in forty days 17,000 people. Such are some of the 



126 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

striking instances of God's power, and I think they 
are indications of His displeasure against a race of 
transgressors who have apostatized from His laws. 

In that season of the year, when nature is clad in 
her most beautiful attire, and the whole terrestrial 
landscape tends to inspire the mind with cheerful- 
ness — suddenly a dark cloud emerges from the 
horizon — the sky assumes a baleful aspect — a dismal 
gloom envelops the face of nature — vivid lightnings 
flash from one end of the horizon to another — 
the awful muttering thunders roll with fearful gran- 
deur and majesty along the verge of heaven, till at 
last they burst overhead in tremendous explosions. 
The giant oak is riven and despoiled of its bright 
foliage; huge rocks are rent into shivers and the 
grazing herds are struck into a lifeless group. 

'' Considering all these things, is it not reason- 
able to conclude that storms, volcanoes and earth- 
quakes are so many occasional indications of the 
frown of an offended Creator upon a race of trans- 
gressors, in order to arouse them to a sense of 
their apostacy from the God of Heaven." 

Let us therefore make peace before the storm 
cloud gathers; let us work hard to attain a more 
thorough knowledge of the soul and its value. As 
we go forth with our bodies adorned in purple and 
velvet, let us stop and consider what we are doing. 
If we are pampering our mortal bodies, which are 
fattening for the worms, and neglecting our souls, 
let us in the name of all that is holy cry a halt. 
Every person endowed with reason desires to go to 
heaven. Going to heaven is like starting in any 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 12/ 

kind of business; a great deal depends on our first 
step. 

Impress upon your mind the fact that God is the 
father of all, and has stamped His own divine 
image on every soul, and that the infinite and. 
boundless love of the God-father goes out to all 
His children, that all alike are equal with Him, and 
that this life is but a preparatory life for the better 
one beyond — then you have the true starting point 
on the great highway which leads to Heaven. 

There is in every human a longing that no 
earthly thing can satisfy. Go forth and commune 
with nature when she is in her happiest mood; ask 
her to quell the restlessness within. She answers 
back, *' No hope, no hope." Then Echo softly 
repeats in mournful accents, *' No hope, no hope." 
Oh! the soul. It is the abode of longings that can- 
not be silenced. The soul! it is the subject of 
endless stirrings. The soul! it must look to Christ 
for rest. *' Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly 
in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls." 

Many persons in our beautiful land assert that if 
the soul is so very valuable, surely God would 
never destroy it, or banish it to a land of darkness 
and gloom, no matter what its condition is. I pity 
any one who advances such a theory. God is, of 
course, a God of love. And certain it is that He 
loves every soul that lives, a fact that He fully 
proved when He gave His only Son to die on the 
cross. 

The fact that God loves a soul is no reason 
why He must necessarily save it. God loved Adam 
and Eve with an endless, undying love — such a 



128 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

love as only God Himself could have — and yet 
He drove them out of Eden. Why? Because they 
violated His sacred command. God loved Moses 
with a love as deep as Heaven; yet He did not 
allow him to enter the Promised Land. Why? 
Because he disobeyed Him. 

Just so it is with us to-day. God loves us dearly; 
and He wants us to live with Him after while in His 
beautiful home; but I tell you, unless we are 
obedient, we cannot hope to enter His kingdom. 
God gave to man's soul the power of thought and 
reason. The soul can improve in the highest sense 
of improving. The soul can discover the existence 
of deity- — it can pray and adore — aye, it, and it 
only, can look forward to a life of joy beyond the 
grave. In addition to these things, God has given 
the soul splendid laws for its government. He has 
also given it a beautiful world, filled with blooming 
flowers and singing birds, in which to live. Thus 
surrounded and endowed the soul looks forth on 
the busy scene of action and says: *' God expects 
me to do a great work. He expects me to fit and 
prepare myself for Heaven. '* So much, so good. 
Now let us, for argument sake, follow this soul in its 
course. Years come and go, and the soul grows 
strong and active. From helpless infancy it passes 
to adult years, and finally comes to where the days 
of a maturer age are passing rapidly by. During 
all this time it has traced the law laid dow^n for its 
government and all has gone well. Presently, in 
the very midst of perfect peace, it violates that part 
of the law which says: " Look not upon the wine 
when it is red. " The soul sees what it has done at 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 1 29 

once, and stands trembling as it thinks of a dis- 
pleased and offended God. It rallies, however, and 
goes on its journey. Suddenly another law is 
broken; that one which says: '' Touch not, taste 
not, handle not. '' From this time on the soul grows 
worse and worse. And now I see it going up a 
dark street, staggering as it goes. Finally it comes 
to a small house, stops a moment, then passes 
inside. In a dark, gloomy corner of the room lies 
another soul in the form of a woman. To judge 
from the emaciated form one would think this soul 
was in a fearful condition. Not so, however, for it 
is bright, joyful, and as pure as when God placed 
it in the miserable body that now holds it. The 
two souls look at each other for a long time before 
either speak. Then the soul on the pallet says: 
'^ In a little while, darling, I will be done with 
earth.'* Then the soul in the form of man answers: 
" If you leave earth, whither will you go?'* "To 
Heaven," answers she. *' Pray, how do you know 
you will go to Heaven?" " Because God has told 
me so." "Why does He say He will take you 
there?" 

" One reason is because He loves me; the other, 
because I love Him." The dialogue between the 
two souls is here cut short, because death comes in 
and spirits them away. One soul mounts on high 
and cleaves its way through space toward Heaven. 
The other takes up its abode in everlasting dark- 
ness and torment. Why? Because it is blackened 
over with crime; stunted, warped, and filled with 
blasphemy. Now, admitting that God loved it, 
could He admit it into His realm without violating 



130 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

the law of Heaven? I answer, no. Mercy Is the 
highest justice. It regards not those laws of divine 
government which conserve the stability of the 
world; but those higher laws which belong to 
infinite power as well as infinite love. God's love 
is a law of His nature, to which He is strictly 
obedient. To the law of love everything in strict 
justice must yield. Pain and misery must be ban- 
ished or mercy falls short of the accomplishment of 
its purpose." 

As Jesus Christ is love, so will He banish them. 
But great as are the demands of mercy upon the 
heart of God, let us beware how v/e defy that 
mercy and that love. Pain may be banished from 
the new heavens and the new earth, but the soul 
that rejects the overtures of mercy, will find that 
pain again in hell. 

We are the children of God's love, and just so 
long as we keep his commandments, not in the let- 
ter alone but In the spirit of love, we shall be 
considered fit dwellings for His glorious majesty to 
dwell in. 

Turning from these thoughts, let us consider the 
value of a soul from another standpoint. The most 
ill-conditioned man in any nation of the world Is, 
in spite of all that can be said to the contrary, a 
wonderfully significant, living being. Men greatly 
err when they conclude that a soul — even though 
it be in the lowest stage of development — is of 
little worth or of trivial account. The lowest, vilest, 
meanest, the most contemptible, abject, unscrupu- 
lous, infamous members of society have something 
inexpressibly valuable about them. The raving. 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 131 

swearing, blaspheming drunkard has that within 
him which is worth more than gold or precious 
stones. *' What is this something? '' I answer, it 
is the soul. And that soul, in point of value, sur- 
passes that of the fairest, brightest stars in heaven. 
Souls in such a condition seem to us to be unworthy 
of our consideration. Not so, however; for it is 
possible, and highly probable, that if the light of 
souls that are now basking in God's sunshine is 
brought to bear upon them, they will be lifted from 
their beggarly elements and placed on a firm foot- 
ing with Christ. A few years ago an old tramps 
tired and sick, sat down in front of a village church. 
His clothes hung in shreds on his trembling body, 
and his face bore the mark of deep suffering. Per- 
sons whom he had passed on his way had turned 
aside muttering, '' O, what a vile, worthless creat- 
ure he is. " Within the little church Sunday-school 
was in session; and as the tired old man hstened 
to the voices of innocent children, his mind traveled 
back over the years of his wasted life, to the 
time when he was a joyous, glad-hearted boy. 
Then, step by step, he traced his life of crime and 
sin to the present hour. Scalding tears coursed 
down his wrinkled cheeks, as the knowledge of 
what he was, and of what he might have been, 
dawned upon him. 

In the neglected, famished province of his soul 
he felt the deep thrill of a new life. 

Mind, heart and body were springing into action. 

He felt meanness depart, and knew when majesty 
took its place. The beginning of his soul's salvation 
was at hand. For the first time in all his life, he 



132 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

realized how valuable was his soul. The one thing 
needful, and that for which he had been in sore 
need of all his life, was his at last — namely, knowl- 
edge in the soul. 

Ah, that which can produce a complete reforma- 
tion on the part of one who has become so degraded 
as to be an object of contemptuous pity even to the 
vicious: that which can deliver the most unworthy 
man or woman on the whole earth, from the track 
of a shameful career, and from the liability to a 
dark and frightful end, is genial and salubrious 
knowledge, assimilated in regions of the soul, 
where previous capabilities have been lying torpid. 

When the old tramp again pursued his way his 
step was firm; and on his face the soft, mellow 
light of peace shone resplendent. 

" O, fellow-soul, whosoever thou art, look not 
down on thyself ! Up and perceive what thou canst 
be!" 

Have you ever yet come to ask yourself that 
question of mystery. What is my soul? If not, 
you will. Oh, mystery! What is this being which 
I call self? Is it my hand? No, cutit off and I, 
with power to think, to love, to hate, still am. 
Pluck out the eye, and I am still sitting behind the 
darkened window, thinking of the bright sunlight 
once seen. " Vital spark," '' Heavenly flame," per- 
sonality, disposition, character, mind or soul! 
These are verbal guesses at an unreachable reality. 
This is what must be changed, if I am to be 
changed. Will water touch it? No. Willknee-bend- 
ings, or confirmation robes of white, or hands of 
fellowship? No. Will new ideas? Man may adopt 



TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 1 33 

the clearest ideas of right and wrong while yet a 
villain. Will outward morality touch this inner 
something? Not necessarily; for one may be a 
hypocrite. What will touch and change the spirit 
of a man? 

Only the Spirit who first created can re-create a 
spirit which has, somewhere, lost its pristine spirit- 
uality. There is just one condition of absolute 
solitude in our lives; one possibility of being utterly 
alone. It is not on the mountain top, nor in the 
crowded street. It is not even when one thinks. 
It is the moment of decision; the supreme instant 
of the " Iwilir 

Say that you are willing to know the heights, 
depths, lengths and breadths of the Christian life, 
and the work of your soul's saving is as good as 
done. 

Finally, I say, prepare thy soul to meet its God. 
Be ready and waiting when the Reaper comes; for 
He Cometh unexpectedly. " Some night when you 
and I are sleeping calmly, shall the spirit host await 
the orders of the Reaper. This night may be the 
last, and ere the morning dawn He may descend 
with the glare of His glory and the blare of His 
trumpet, to fix our fate for ever. Those who sleep 
in Jesus will rise even as He rose. He rose. He 
burst the bars of death, and triumphed o*er the 
grave; then first humanity triumphant passed the 
crystal ports of light. " 

Kind reader, my task is now finished. I have 
not written for fame, glory, or renown; but have 
written in order that some soul might be raised 
from the barren field of waste and denial onto a 



134 TWELVE STEPS TOWARD HEAVEN. 

plane of truth, where, with the broad rays of God's 
love shining about it, it could see itself in its true 
light, and know and realize how very valuable it 
was. 

The night is far advanced and a death-like silence 
reigns supreme. Ah, to-night, my soul is on fire; 
my whole being is electrified, and my brain throbs 
as though it were angry at my tardiness. Oh, 
God! I feel to-night more than ever before how 
small and insignificant the things of this life are, 
when compared with the soul and eternity. 

The silence is grander and more impressive, and 
the moon, with its sweet, wan face, looks in upon 
me, and whispers to me of bright realms far away. 
Ah, my brain! do thy work; grasp the many sub- 
lime thoughts that are now coursing through thy 
countless chambers! Oh, lamp of my soul! burn 
clear and bright, so I can see more of the mercies 
of God; help me to look through the darkness that 
shuts the throne of God from my vision! 

Hush — hark! I hear sweet voices from out the 
realm of night, sounding like an angel's whisper in 
a dream, so soft, so low, so sweet, I can scarcely 
hear. Nearer and nearer the voices come, and now 
a voice speaks out clear and distinct, and says: 
*' The soul! O, how valuable it is! What wonder- 
ful possibilities are within its reach! The soul, if it 
so wills, can live in Heaven with Christ throughout 
all eternity! '* For a moment all is quiet; then the 
faint voices of the angel band, winging their way 
toward the twinkling stars, murmur in accents low: 
" Good-night! Good-night! '' 



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